The Red Moon
by XHelenaMCR
Summary: Sequel To The New Dawn. Casper shows his true colours, Jezebel finds the one, Who will survive?


**The Red Moon**

**Chapter 1**

Jezebel snuggled into Vlad's side. The blanket was mostly on her; he'd insisted he didn't need it. The murderer was still here somewhere; it was unnerving to try go to sleep. Many people around her had managed to drift off, she couldn't, it was her he was after. How could anyone sleep with _that_ in mind? Vlad had decided to sleep next to her for her own safety. The P.E mat underneath her was very hard to get comfortable on, it wasn't designed for sleeping. Seriously, as if it wasn't hard enough to get to sleep with a murderer on the loose, to add the stench of sweaty feet and the hardness of a rock to the bed. Vlad turned over in his sleep. He was now facing her, his handsome face peaceful, and untroubled. It would be a sin to wake him, so she instead quietly and gently snuggled closer against him. As if it was natural his arms went around her, his face was still peaceful he'd done it subconsciously. Jezebel smiled and tried to relax, his arms around her made her feel a lot safer and this time she was sure she'd be able to fall asleep, and amazingly she did.

Aiden, unable to sleep felt a sudden hunger pang. Nicole was asleep besides him. Careful not to wake her, he detached his arms from around her and stood up silently stretching. The fridges that they'd brought up from the kitchen were full of food but someone would notice if he took one. They were rationing food. There was still some food in the canteen, but could he really risk that? His hunger pang hit again, but this time a lot harder. "Ok, ok." He whispered to his stomach. "I'm going." He crept as silently as he could across the hall, weaving past the P.E mats occupied by sleeping students. The floor didn't creak once luckily. He gently eased the bolt off the door and slipped outside. The big note on the wall was still there. He shuddered just looking at it. There really was a lunatic in this school with them. He morphed quickly, pads were quieter than shoes. He padded down the corridor, his ears pricked to pick up any movement; even the slightest noise but there was nothing but his gentle footsteps and his breathing. The canteen stairwell was dark, luckily he could see quite well in the dark, the only problem would be the door at the bottom. He moved as fast as he could down the stairs, he found it harder on four legs. Then he reared back onto his hind legs and put his front paws on the door handle, pressing down as much as it would allow him. He heard a click and the door moved under his paws. Proud of himself, he wandered into the dark canteen, sniffing out anything that was edible. He leapt onto the food counter and over and proceeded into the kitchen. A irresistible scent filled his nostrils and he breathed in deeply, then followed the scent. There on the countertop was a big uncooked steak, he felt himself drooling at it. _Score_, he thought as he leapt up onto the counter. The steak was gorgeous and was just what he needed. When he'd finished his stomach began to hurt and he began to feel quite sick. He laid himself down on the counter, crossing his paws in front of him. Then something happened that shocked him. His paws glowed in front of him and his body took on a jelly like form before his eyes and against his will. Suddenly the glow went away and he was staring at his own hands. He was back to human.

"What the hell?" He said aloud, examining his arms and hands. He tried to morph again but it wasn't working. He shut his eyes and continued trying but to no avail. He looked beside him to where the steak had been. Why had it been there? Surely no one would have left it out; or at least they wouldn't have left it out by accident. Then the gravity of this situation weighed down on him. It could have been anybody who put that there, including – no he wasn't going to think about that now, he had to get out of here. He pushed off from the counter, his feet hit the floor but his knees buckled and he fell. He tried to get up but his vision started going hazy and unfocused. _Nice going, idiot_, he scolded himself and tried to get up again only to fall and hit the ground harder this time. He'd been drugged and this wasn't a human drug causing this. He started to panic, flailing a hand wildly around him he managed to grab onto the handle of a cupboard and began hauling himself up. Only to freeze half way as something fell from the countertop right in front of him, there was someone here with him. He scrambled at the counters, his vision was almost completely gone now but his hearing was still fine. He heard the footsteps approaching. The frustration of not having the strength to pull himself up and the pure terror of the situation caused him to do something he wouldn't usually do.

"Help!" he shouted, his voice was hoarse and he was on the brink of losing it, but he still tried. "Help!" he shouted again, and then a hand clamped down over his mouth from behind. He struggled against it but he was too weak to do anything now. "Help me!" he tried to shout around the hand, but it was hardly a mumble. Aiden felt more of his vision slip away and he closed his eyes as an agonizing headache took over.

Then suddenly the hand was gone and Aiden was breathing freely again, he felt the whole world tilt around him as he heard the door open behind him. He was caught before he hit the ground and dragged backward out of the door.

"What the _hell_ are you doing down here?" Vlad whispered behind him. Aiden couldn't talk properly, his throat hurt.

"R-un." He tried. Vlad didn't respond. "Ru-n!" He used the last of his energy and voice. Vlad understood that one, he grabbed Aiden, pulling him up and running while carrying him. They were back at the hall in no time, well he couldn't see but it sounded like the hall. Then another stab of pain to his gut and head made him pass out.

Something cold was being pressed lightly on his forehead. Aiden slowly opened his eyes, only part way. His eyes flew open at what he saw. Jezebel was leaning over him, dabbing his head with a wet cloth, but the way she was leaning gave him a direct view down her top. His jaw dropped open.

"Oh you're awake," She said cheerfully, sitting back and ruining his view. "We thought we'd lost you then, don't run off again." She leant forward and kissed his forehead gently. "I don't want to be losing my bestest friend ever to _him_." _Him_ meant the murderer. Aiden pushed himself up and braced for the pain, but there was none, he just felt very weak. Then he tried to morph, it didn't work. He went straight to Mr. Albaster (with the aid of Jezebel), explained what had happened. Mr Albaster looked less than amused with him but did help. He told Aiden that he should be able to morph again soon, depending on how much of the drug he'd taken it could take up to a month for it to return (which Aiden wasn't happy about) but it would return.

When they were back at Aiden's mat, Jezebel hugged him comfortingly.

"It'll be okay, you'll get out of this." Jezebel said.

Aiden nodded, then picked up on the flaw in that sentence. "You mean _we'll_ get out of this." He corrected. She stayed silent, casting him a sad smile. "Nothing's going to happen to you, Jez. I won't let it." He brushed her fringe out of her eyes, only to see tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, Jez." He put his hands on her cheeks and used his thumbs to wipe away the tears, then he looked her straight in the eye, "You're going to make it out of here, even if it kills me." She stared at home for a long moment. His gaze slowly moved to her lips, god he just wanted to kiss her right now. Then for a minute he thought she was going to, until the slamming open of the hall doors made both of them jump; along with everyone else in the room.

Casper wandered into the room.

"No," Jezebel shouted, leaping to her feet and running over. She was in tears again now, "No!" she said again, "What are you doing here?" Aiden could see the distress on her face.

"I came to help you." Casper said.

"No, now you're trapped too!" Jezebel wailed, throwing herself into Casper's arms. Aiden watched as the vampire (who still hadn't got his trust completely) held Jezebel tight in his arms.

"It's too late now." Vlad's voice came from the back of the room, "He's here. He's trapped too."

Casper just stroked Jezebel's hair. Aiden turned his attention away only to find Nicole sitting next to him. He leant forward and kissed her gently.

"What was that for?" She asked, looking stunned.

"That was 'hello'" He smiled then kissed her again, this time harder. She kissed back. Aiden really liked her and this might be the end for him soon.

Jezebel eventually managed to pull herself together and her and Casper sat quietly in the corner. Neither of them talked, neither of them dared to.

"Excuse me." A quite strong voice cut their silence. They glanced up to see two strong looking vampire guys (they used to be in Jezebel's English class, their names were Robert and Liam) looking down at them. No, not at _them_, at Casper.

"You're Prince Casper Zikareth, aren't you?" Robert said, his eyes gleaming. Then he crossed his arm diagonally across his chest, as if it some kind of salute, then he bowed. Liam copied him.

"I'm afraid you have the wrong person." Casper said without looking at them.

"No, we're pretty sure its you, sire. We met you at the parade after the victory your Red moon soldiers had over the opposing lycan tribe." Liam chimed in, excitement in his eyes.

"I'm not a prince anymore, I want nothing to do with those blood thirsty soldiers." Casper looked grim and couldn't even bear to look at them.

"You are to us, sire." Robert commented then walked off. Jezebel stared at Casper, her jaw hung open. Casper glanced her way.

"What?" He asked with irritation.

"You're a _prince_?" She practically screeched. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't important. It still isn't."

"_Not_ important!" A scream from down the corridors interrupted her. The whole hall fell silent. The sound of approaching footsteps and muffled sobs were all that could be heard. Mr Albaster motioned for everyone to be quiet then swung the hall doors open. A few minutes later he escorted a crying girl called Emma into the room. She was totally beside herself with tears. Mr Albaster sat her down on a chair and knelt in front of her.

"Now," he said, "What happened?" The girl's eyes filled up with tears again and her movements became hysterical all over again.

"They're dead!" She practically screamed, "They're all dead, I saw them. They were burning! In the kiln! I couldn't – "

""What were you doing down there?" Mr Albaster was agitated now. He turned and shouted over his shoulder. "Aiden, take your pack members and a few vamps down to art department. See if you can find anything." Aiden nodded and led the way out of the room. Mr Albaster turned back to the girl who was still crying and began talking to her again, trying to talk to some sense into her probably.

Casper had gotten up and left with the others to go investigate. Nicole was sat alone, which obviously meant she was upset. "You ok?" Jezebel asked as she sat herself down next to Nicole, Nicole jumped, only just noticing she was there.

"Yes. I'm fine." She said then stared at the floor again.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Nicole's whole mood seemed to change entirely; she went from pretending she wasn't there, to desperate to talk. "I just – I really like Aiden – and I mean really, _really_ like him, but I don't think he likes me back." She sighed, then looked at Jezebel, "And look at you, with all this male attention."

"I know." Jezebel grimaced, "There's just too much choice, I only want one but I don't want to hurt the others."

"I know what you mean."

There was a long pause. Not an awkward one, a comfortable 'lost in thought' kind of moment.

"Well which one do you prefer?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know." Jezebel sighed and looked at the door. Hoping to see Casper, or Vlad or anybody. "I really feel trapped. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You'll figure it out eventually." And with that Nicole got up and went to stand by Mr Albaster.

"There's nothing but ashes." Casper commented taking one last look around the room. Aiden had his back to them and was checking for any scents. He rolled his eyes, he really hated this guy. He'd grown to like Vlad at least, but Casper was just one step too far and to add to all of it, he was a prince, worst of all he was a bloodthirsty prince. Aiden remember him from when he used to live in Sacran, after he'd overheard Liam and Rob it had all flooded back to him. His Red Moon Army had tortured and killed many of his people and for what? A tiny piece of land that was useless anyway. Aiden thought of all things he could use to kill this guy right now, many of them available in this very room.

"Let's head back." Vlad cut in. Aiden glanced over at him to see him giving Aiden a sympathetic look but shaking his head. _It doesn't matter now, he's changed_, Vlad's voice entered his head again. He really hated it when he did that.

_Thought I told you to stay outta my head_, Aiden thought back angrily.

Then, it only took the one word, _projecting_, to make him understand. Obviously his thoughts were being projected, he was so damn angry. Vlad shook his head again then led the way out of the room, closely followed by Casper. Aiden stayed put, wanting to be alone for the moment just to have time to think alone.

"You coming?" Casper asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Nah, I'll be with you in a few, don't worry about me." Aiden replied, trying to keep his voice polite.

"You sure?" He honestly sounded concerned, "There is a murderer around here."

"I'm a big boy, I'll be fine." Aiden replied, his voice wavered slightly but otherwise stayed polite.

"Alright." There was a pause then he added with a smirk, "And I like the idea of being stabbed in the heart with a pencil, very creative." Then he winked and left.

Aiden glared after him then slammed his hand down on the worktop, causing the table legs to snap in half and the table to collapse.

"Oops." He breathed, and then he turned to leave and ran straight into something hard. "Hey, watch – " Then he froze. There was nothing familiar about this person in front of him. The evil smirk on his face was a sure sign that this was bad. Aiden stumbled back, breathing hard. This was it, the end. The man looked about the same age as him, but he wasn't human. His scent didn't reveal what he was either like it should have done; in fact it was very hard to pick up his scent, even from this short distance.

"Hello Aiden." The man said, quite at ease. Aiden just stared, unable to move, unable to think, unable to breathe. He extended a hand as if for Aiden to shake it, "My name is – " The man paused then laughed, "It would be very stupid of me to give my name away, you can just call me – " He glanced around the room, his gaze settling on the kiln, then he smiled and said, "Ash. As that's all I left of your friends there." Ash then caught him with a mocking gaze. Aiden, realising he'd been holding it, let out his breath.

"Just do it." He said and closed his eyes.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ash said, the smile was obvious in his voice.

"Kill me and get it over with." Aiden braced himself.

"What makes you think I want to kill you?" Ash moved closer and put a hand on Aiden's shoulder, "I have a much better job for you my werewolf friend."

"I wouldn't help you if my life depended on it." Aiden's eyes flew open and pinned Ash with a look that would have killed. Unfortunately it had no effect on the madman, he simply smirked and cocked his head to the side.

"What about if _Nicole's_ life depended on it?" Ash's small smirk turned into a full-blown horrid grin. Aiden's eyes widened and he swallowed deeply, he hadn't thought about that. Ash laughed, the guy wasn't half bad looking. His long black hair was shaggy but it was clean, he had very pale feature but that made his silver eyes stand out more, his lips were a soft pink that blended nicely with his skin tone. The clothes he wore were a basic pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He was very slim but Aiden didn't put it past him that his strength was immense.

"So are you going to help me or not?" Ash's eyes were daring him to say yes.

"What – what is it exactly that you want me to do?" Aiden had to swallow in between to get his voice steady again.

"I want you to help me." Ash said and hopped up to sit on a desk. Aiden stayed firmly back, judging the distance between him and the door and whether he could make it out. "Don't bother trying to make a bolt for it, I'd beat you." Ash said, obviously noticing where his gaze kept slipping.

"I know you want me to help, but what specifically do you want me to do." Aiden was sounding stronger now; too bad he didn't feel stronger.

"I want you to introduce me to your friends." Ash smirked. Aiden was taken aback, wouldn't that just give him away? "I want you to say that you found me hiding in the reception area and that my friends have all been killed by the murderer."

"No. I won't do that. That'll just get you inside and make it easier for you to kill everyone." Aiden said, then braced himself for death.

"I don't want to kill everyone, I only want to kill the one threatening this world. I grew up in Sacran, I know the horrors of what those witches changed it into, I found peace in this world and I'm not letting the daughters of the bitch change that." Ash then removed a knife from his pocket and turned it over in his hand to make the light dance off the blade, "And the only way to make sure that doesn't happen, it to kill one of the witch sisters. It's just unlucky that it was this one to end up here. Still, she has to go."

"I'm not going to let you kill Jezebel." Aiden took an angry step towards Ash, then the tables suddenly turned and Aiden was flat on his back as quick as a flash with Ash knelt over him holding the blade to his throat. A horrible burning sensation started eating at Aiden's neck.

"Yeah, its silver." Ash said, answering the question in Aiden's eyes. "Look, Aiden, either you help me kill _one_ of you friends, or I kill them all and make you watch and that starts with your little girlfriend." Ash pressed the blade harder against Aiden's throat, "This is getting done either way and either way there's blood on your hands, better to be the one person rather that them all. Are you going to help me?"

Aiden swallowed but didn't reply.

Ash pressed as hard as he could without breaking the skin, "_Are you with me_?" He said through his teeth. Aiden closed his eyes and nodded slightly, at that instant the burning sensation went away and he was being pulled to his feet. "You made a good choice," Ash said, "Lets be off," he started to exit the room but then seemed to remember something all of a sudden and swung back round on Aiden, "Oh and if you think its clever to tell any of your little friends that I'm the murderer then I'll kill them all anyway, you got that?"

Aiden nodded again, and then followed Ash out of the room and back toward the hall.

"Where's Aiden?" Jezebel caught Casper's hand as he re-entered the hall. He glanced at her, his eyes un-amused.

"He'll be along in a minute." Casper replied, releasing her hand and walking away.

"You left him out there alone?" Jezebel stormed angrily towards him, but firm arms wrapped around her waist and restrained her. "Hey!" She protested.

"I think you should leave him alone." Vlad whispered from behind her and gently kissed the back of her head. Jezebel sighed and removed herself from Vlad's arms.

"Hey!" Someone – who sounded a lot like Aiden – shouted from the front of the room. The attention turned to him; it _was_ Aiden. There was a strange boy stood next to him. He had shaggy black hair, weird eyes and wore very plain and scruffy clothes.

"This is Ash." Aiden introduced the person. Aiden looked oddly nervous, there was even sweat forming on his brow; which was strange. "I found him down in the reception, he's been hiding there. His friends were killed by this murderer too."

Those silver eyes suddenly locked with hers and the room melted away. Suddenly, he was all she wanted, all she ever could want and all she ever would want. She felt her feet start moving, she didn't know where she was going, all she knew was that she had to get to him and get to him soon. Aiden was still rambling on about this new boy but his voice was just a faint mumble in the background of her conscious thought. Jezebel was now stood right in front of Ash. His eyes broke the bond and looked over the crowd. The room came back into view and Jezebel noticed that everyone was staring at her like she had two heads. She felt the colour rush to her cheeks.

Aiden had stopped talking and was staring at them too. His expression a mix between horror and worry, his eyes seemed to be pleading a silent plea. Too bad she didn't know what they were meant to be saying.

"Can I – uh – talk to you outside – Ash?" She was really quite nervous.

"Of course." He said, wow he had a sexy voice, but then again she'd grown to know that most non-humans did have a certain allure about them. Jezebel practically sprinted out of the door, Ash joined her a few seconds later.

"Who are you?" She demanded. No boy deserved to have this affect of her and it certainly wasn't fair to her. Luckily he was too busy looking at the hall door, as if waiting for someone to follow them, to make eye contact.

"Ash." He replied, still looking at the door.

"I know _that_." She replied, getting agitated. "Where did you come from, why haven't I seen you around here before?"

"New student." He replied, glancing down the corridor behind him, before his gaze returned to the door. "Had only just started when that first murder happened. Honestly, I'm just so scared. I wish I hadn't come to this school."

He sounded genuinely upset about that, his eyes seemed to glisten with unshed tears. Jezebel couldn't stay mad at him, in fact she'd completely forgotten why she was angry with him. "I know how you feel." She reached forward to touch his arm; just as she did his eyes suddenly met hers again. She felt herself move forward and embrace him. She wanted him to kiss her; she started wanting things that you shouldn't even begin to imagine with someone you'd just met. She saw a smirk spread across his lips, which made him all the sexier, he leant his head forward.

An abrupt whistle made them look away quickly. As soon as the eye contact was lost Jezebel began feeling dizzy and off balance. What had just been happening? She recognized Vlad standing just in the doorway with a less than amused expression on his face.

"Back off." Vlad growled, pushing Ash aside and steadying Jezebel. Her gaze slid to Ash who looked just as confused as she did. Vlad led her back inside the hall and sat her on the stage. "What the hell were you thinking?" Vlad shook her slightly, "You don't even know who he is and you're already thinking about banging his brains out right there outside the hall doors, where _anyone_ could find you?" His eyes drifted over to where Casper was stood, glowering into space, he met no ones eye and in return no one challenged him. Vlad dropped his voice to a low whisper, "Look, he's in love with you. He _is_ your soulmate and – " Casper's head snapped up at that moment. "Ah crap," Vlad breathed staring at Casper fearfully. "He didn't tell you." He was breathing quicker though he didn't need to. Casper's icy cold gaze turned on Vlad, then suddenly Casper was right there in front of him, glowering down on him. Vlad shrunk away in fear. Jezebel hopped down and turned to face Casper squarely.

"Don't hurt him." She said with such power that she felt the air around her crackle with the force of it. Casper's eyes went wide and he staggered backward. Jezebel turned to see Vlad had moved away as well with the same shocked expression. Then she noticed the room around her, everyone was staring. Nicole had run to Aiden, her head was buried in her chest. His arms were protectively around her and he was staring straight at Jezebel with such bewilderment. Ash was stood behind them, a small smirk on his face. Jezebel frowned at him, what was he smirking at? She shook her head then turned back to Casper who hadn't moved a single muscle since staggering backward. "I'm – I'm sorry." She felt the tears start to flow, "I didn't mean to do that, I – " She ran out of the room in a flood of tears, she ran straight past everyone, not wanting to look into their accusing eyes. That was so horrible to use her powers on Casper. She was such an idiot, she could have hurt him. She stared at herself in the girls' bathroom mirror and splashed water over her face. Glancing back in the mirror she saw Ash standing behind her. She staggered back away from the mirror and straight into him.

His arms went around her, then one hand went over her mouth, silencing her protests.

"Shh, sweetie." He whispered in her ear, "We don't want anyone knowing I'm here."

He nuzzled just behind her ear; which sent a shiver down her spine. He spun her round so she could face him, his silver eyes glowed and again she felt as if she was falling into them. He was watching her closely, he kissed her cheek lightly, and her cheek began tingling where his lips had touched. He then leant forward and kissed her neck, her lips parted as she gasped.

"Why did you tell her?" Casper growled at Vlad.

"I thought you'd have told her, I'm sorry." Vlad replied, he was cowering away but was cornered.

"Come on, guys." Aiden was trying to get between them, "Cas, he didn't know."

Casper growled at Vlad again but then backed away. "She's going to hate me now." Casper sat himself down on the stage and held his head in his hands.

Aiden hopped up beside him. "She won't hate you." He comforted Casper, patting him on the back – awkwardly. "She may be pissed that you didn't tell her sooner but she couldn't hate you."

"She's gone off with that Ash guy anyway." Casper said; his voice was strained. Was he _crying_? Aiden couldn't imagine a vampire prince shedding a tear for anyone; this was just surreal. As much as he hated this guy, he couldn't let him be like this.

"Casper, Ash isn't who you think he is – " A sudden wave of pain washed over Aiden and he doubled over, groaning loudly. He suddenly felt very dizzy and lost his balance, Casper, thankfully, grabbed him before he went head first off of the stage.

"What wrong?" Casper asked, looking into Aiden's unsteady eyes.

"It – It hurts." Was all Aiden could say, before another wave of pain hit. "Read – mind." He managed to get out.

_Ash is the murderer_! He thought it so hard, but the dizziness was taking over. _Don't do anything stupid! Please hear me! Please!_ A really strong wave then hit him and he passed out.

**Chapter 2**

Aiden's eyes fluttered open. Casper and Vlad were looking down at him.

"Are you ok?" Vlad asked, extending a hand to him, to help him up. Aiden took it and let himself be dragged to his feet.

"What happened there?" Casper asked, grabbing his shoulder to steady him when he swayed.

"I don't know." Aiden replied, clutching a hand to his throbbing forehead. "Did you read my mind?" Vlad and Casper looked at him blankly.

"You didn't ask us to." Casper said, still looking confused, "Come on lets sit you down."

"No you don't understand. Ash – " the pain in his head got stronger. It was Ash doing this. He wasn't going to let him tell them. "Ok, I need to sit down." Casper and Vlad helped him walk over to the chairs.

"What – When did that get there?" Aiden and Casper followed Vlad's gaze. Another message on the wall. This one read:

Right now my vamp friends

Time to work on your tans.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Vlad frowned at the writing. Suddenly all the blinds in the room all opened, letting a blinding amount of sunlight into the room. Then everything happened at once. Casper and Vlad dropped Aiden and covered their eyes. Aiden heard a lot of hissing and shrieks echo around the room. He looked up at the chaos around him. Then a horrible burning flesh smell hit his nostrils and he gagged. He looked up to Vlad and Casper, they were burning, and looking around; so was every other vampire in the room. There were no dark spots in the room to hide. Wait, yes there was.

"Get behind the stage curtains!" Aiden shouted, trying to make his voice audible over the screams and hissing. Vlad and Casper heard him and ran – ran! At human speed, maybe even slower, to behind the stage curtains. Some other vampires followed when they noticed them, the back of the stage had no light getting into it at all. Luckily Mr Albaster saw it too.

"Get to the stage, you bloodsuckers!" He shouted, his voice rose above all the shrieks. All the vampires then retreated to the darkness. Mr Albaster grabbed Aiden's arm and dragged him up. "You alright, Springs?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." Aiden replied.

"I thought vampire's burning in sunlight was just a myth." Mr Albaster shouted to the mumbling and crying vampires that were assembled in the darkness.

"We did too." One vampire shouted back.

"Whats happening?" A female vampire wailed.

"This is ridiculous! What could have caused this!" Another stormed angrily.

Mr Albaster just rolled his eyes and ignored them. A werewolf teacher who hated vampires, not really ideal seen as a lot of his students would be vampires, either way he couldn't care less about them.

"Where's that Jezebel girl? And that new boy?" Mr Albaster said, turning back to Aiden.

"Ah, crap!" Aiden said, and pulled away from Mr Albaster and ran full speed out of the room, only to realise outside the room that he had no idea where to start looking. "Oh, crap!" He ran down the corridor on the left.

He stopped and listened at the end of the corridor, there was no sound at all but his breathing and the pounding of his heart in his ears.

"Jezebel!" He shouted, his shout echoing down the deserted corridor. No answer. "Oh please don't be dead." He whispered that last bit as he set off running again. He stopped at the other end of the corridor and strained his ears to hear even the slightest sound. This time he picked up on some whispering, it sounded a lot like Ash.

_Don't you dare have killed her, you bastard_, Aiden thought turning toward the source of the sound. The girls' bathroom. Jeez, why there? It went against every moral fibre in his body but he pushed the door open and peeked inside. He instantly saw Jez and Ash. She was back up against the windowsill and he was stood over her. His hand was reaching for his back pocket. That where his knife was. _Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap_. He couldn't let him do this but he couldn't try stop him. He'd said he'd be on Ash's side. It was just Jezebel who was going to die, it was either her or everyone. Aiden closed his eyes and leant his head back against the door. He couldn't watch this. He wouldn't watch this.

"Aiden!" Ash said with enthusiasm. Aiden eyes flew open, how had he known he was there? Aiden had been silent coming in here. Yet Ash was stood beaming at him – falsely obviously but it seemed to fool Jezebel. Then his eyes moved to Jezebel, she was staring at him blankly. No not at him, through him. She was hypnotised.

"You're just in time." Ash said and motioned for Aiden to come forward. Aiden, trying not to anger him, did as he was told. "Right, you and the two vampires are too close." It was a straight fact.

Aiden frowned at him in confusion, "what do you mean?"

"They gotta hate you." Ash said, matter-of-factly, "And you're gonna make that happen."

"What do you – " Aiden began but Ash cut him off.

"Look, you work for me, you do what I say no matter what, got that?" Ash hissed it at him.

"Ok." Aiden gulped.

"You go along with whatever our little puppet does here." Ash held his hand out to Jezebel, and she smiled at Ash and took it, doing a little twirl as she did. "She's under my power now."

"Why don't you just kill her now?" Aiden asked. Feeling it very unfair that Jezebel was being used this way, then a thought struck him, "Wait, isn't she supposed to be one of the most powerful forces ever? And you have her under your power?"

"All her powers haven't been awakened yet, the things you've seen are the minimum she can do. So right now, she's all mine." Ash smirked, and to Aiden's disgust, he kissed Jezebel's cheek. "And I'm not killing her right now for my own reasons. It'd be very stupid of me to tell you everything."

Ash glanced at his watch and said, "In exactly sixty seconds, Casper, Vladimir and Mr Albaster will come through that door, looking for you. Play along with my puppet." Ash smirked and then flitted away. Well at least that's what Aiden thought he did, he was too fast.

Jezebel's distant eyes seemed to find Aiden and she smiled. This wasn't her, this was Ash controlling her.

"Um, Jez?" He began to reach for her, but instead she grabbed his arm, swung him around and pinned him to the wall. "Jez –" He started to protest but her lips claimed his and he was silenced. _Not cool! Very not cool_! He wanted Nicole now and this wasn't fair to her, it also wasn't fair to Jezebel because she probably wouldn't want this if she had control of herself.

_You're useless_, Ash's annoyed voice entered his mind, Aiden could practically feel his grimace. _Honestly, if you want a job done right, you gotta do it yourself_. Aiden's arms – that had been in a surrender position above his head against the wall – now moved to Jezebel's waist against his will. Now Ash was controlling his movements, unfortunately Aiden knew it was happening unlike Jezebel. Jezebel's arms moved to the bottom of Aiden's shirt and she broke the kiss to pull it off over his head. His hands move to her and undid the buttons of her shirt, revealing a black lacy bra and a hell of a lot of sexy pale flesh. Aiden's eyes roamed over the view before him. _This isn't right, please stop this_, Aiden thought, he just hoped it went to Ash. Then Ash's laughter filled his head. He wasn't going to get out of this, in fact it just made it worse, Aiden hand slid over the flesh exposed before him. _Ash!_ He thought angrily, but Ash continued to laugh. Jezebel leant in and kissed him again.

The door slammed against the wall behind Jezebel. _Ash, please, no_!

"What the fuck Aiden!" It was Casper's voice. That wasn't good. "After all you just said about her loving me!"

Aiden suddenly regained control of his body, he pulled away from Jezebel and moved around to face Casper. "Casper – this – this wasn't me! I wouldn't –"

"Just shut up!" Casper stormed away, Vlad left after him. They revealed the fourth person who was in the room. _Oh no. No, no, no_. Aiden thought, he felt like he might cry. Nicole's blue eyes were glistening with tears.

"Nicole – " Aiden started towards her, but she just shook her head and ran out of the room in tears. "Oh crap," he breathed, running a hand through his hair. Then he looked at Mr Albaster, who winked and said, "Nice one, Springs. Way to get them bloodsuckers back. See you in the hall, I'll let you finish up here." Then he left. This was just great. Everyone hated him, just like Ash wanted. _Hope you're happy_, Aiden thought sarcastically, not really caring whether he heard it or not.

"What's happening?" Jezebel's weak voice came from behind him. Aiden spun to see she was looking awfully dizzy and was holding her head. Her eyes fixed on his shirtless body, he looked down to see his pants were undone too. Huh, when had that happened? He looked back up at her to see she was looking down at herself too, then dawning of realisation came to her face.

"Oh god, we didn't – "

"No, we didn't." He assured her quickly, "But everyone thinks we did." He added the last bit quietly but she still heard. She closed her eyes, shook her head, then did up her buttons and ran from the room, leaving Aiden alone with thought.

_That was just – wrong_, Jezebel thought as she made her way back to the hall. Aiden was one of her bestest friends of all time and that was certainly not what two people who are just friends would do. Besides Nicole – her other best friend – liked him a lot and it wouldn't be fair if she was now to go off with him, especially since Nicole had told her that she liked him. Strangely enough, Jezebel didn't remember anything before waking up to see Aiden standing half naked in front of her. The last thing she remembered before that was Casper, oh god, she'd hurt Casper, she'd have to go apologize properly for that.

"Hey Jez, wait up." She heard Aiden call from behind her, but she ignored him and pushed the hall door open. The first thing she noticed was that it was very dark, the windows had been blacked out and there were just a few of the hall lights switched on. Then she noticed the silence that had descended as soon as she opened the door. Everyone was looking her way but no one was speaking. _Awkward much?_ She grimaced. Why were they all like this? It wasn't like her and Aiden had actually done anything. Gathering her courage and taking a deep breath, she held her head high and made her way through the crowd. Slowly people began going back to their conversations, but they'd probably changed to being about her if they weren't about her anyway. She spotted Joe and Vlad sat together on the stage, she smiled at them when they glanced her way, but they just looked away and went back to talking. Wow, how polite. She grimaced inwardly. They shouldn't believe it to, they know she wouldn't do something like that. She began making her way towards them but was cut off abruptly by Nicole, who stepped right in her path. The room, which had been quietly talking and watching, fell silent. There were tear streaks down Nicole's cheeks and she looked less than happy to be there. Her eyes were bloodshot and her bottom lip was quivering as if she might begin to cry again, she quickly halted that by biting down on her lip. It hurt Jezebel to see her friend this way.

"Nicole, I – " Nicole slapped her hard across the face. The hit was so hard it echoed around the room. Jezebel's hand flew to her cheek to clutch it to where she'd been hit. That was unnecessary and uncalled for. The pain in her cheek was painful, but not as painful as the rage building inside her. Then she felt the fire start burning and she felt her eyes widen. She hadn't had this feeling for a while now and just like that, she flew from the room in a blur to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Upon exiting the hall she ran straight into Ash.

"Woah, are you ok?" he asked, trying to get a good look at her.

"Yes, let me go!" she yanked herself away and ran down the corridor. Suddenly the little boy Kyle was in front of her. He was ok. She hadn't remembered seeing him since being in Sacran. It was such a relief to see he was ok. She fell to her knees in front of him – the rage forgotten and the fire drained away – and hugged him. She turned to shout to Ash to tell him, but he wasn't standing there anymore, he was gone. She looked back at Kyle, who smiled a horrible little smile. Then he disappeared. Jezebel sat back staring at the space the little boy had once occupied.

**Chapter 3**

Aiden was dragged aside and pulled all the way to the back of the hall. Ash sat down in a seat that he must have set out himself. He patted the one next to him, indicating for Aiden to sit with him. He really didn't have a choice in the matter; he had to obey Ash no matter what. So he sat down.

"You ready for the fireworks?" Ash leant in and whispered. Aiden turned to him, but Ash had turned back, watching with a small smirk on his face. The hall doors swung open and a crowd of about five people bustled in. Well it was more of a mob than a crowd. It was the vampire students who had been moved up to the sports hall to protect them from the sun. It was safer because the sports hall had no windows and it wasn't worth the risk to keep them with blacked out windows. They all flitted to Mr. Albaster and were instantly talking in babble.

"That's not my problem!" He heard Mr Albaster yell above them.

"You can't just let us die!" A female vampire protested back. The others made sounds of agreement. "We're dying up there!" The female continued, "Some of them have already been at each others throats. We need food!"

Mr Albaster actually seemed to take that in, after all as a teacher it was his job to look after the students. After a moment he looked at the female vamp and said, "Go back up. Get all the vamps up there in that room, no one wanders. I'll sort something out now." The female smiled and nodded, and to Aiden's astonishment Mr Albaster smiled back. _So much for Mr I-hate-all-vampires_, Aiden grimaced.

"Right!" Mr Albaster addressed the room, "Everyone who's human line up!"

Aiden looked at the teacher, alarmed at what this meant. Mr Albaster looked at him and gave him a helpless shrug as if to say, 'what else can I do?'

The humans crowded around him and Aiden watched the different emotions cross their faces as Mr Albaster explained what they had to do.

Jezebel wandered back into the room looking a little shaken, Aiden started to rise from his seat but Ash pushed him back down. Mr Albaster had heard the door open too.

"Ah, Kandyll. You're involved in this too." He summoned her over and explained.

Aiden then spotted Nicole at the other side of the group, watching Jezebel with pure hatred. Oh crap, Nicole was human. He'd only just remembered. He wouldn't have her involved in the bloodsucker feast, he'd also try get Jezebel out of it too if he could.

"Springs!" It took him off-guard and he stood up quickly, startled. He looked at Mr Albaster. "I need you to help me watch over this."

Aiden nodded and walked over to him, and helped him herd the humans out of the room. Once they were walking along behind them Aiden took the chance to talk to the teacher.

"Sir, can I make a request?" He whispered.

Mr. Albaster nodded.

"Can I ask that Nicole isn't involved in this?"

Mr Albaster nodded again. The looked over to find her. "Nicole." He said, she stopped and turned, nearly causing some other human students to walk into her in the process. Aiden passed her without looking at her and kept walking behind the humans. He could hear what Mr Albaster was saying clearly and hoped to god that he didn't tell her it was his idea.

"I think you should sit this one out." Mr Albaster said.

"I'm perfectly willing to donate." Nicole replied.

"Yes, but no arguments. Go back to the hall."

Aiden smiled to himself. Mr Albaster was a teacher who wouldn't take no for an answer and right now he was grateful for that.

Mr Albaster rejoined him. "She's back in the hall." Was all he said.

Jezebel walked silently through the halls with the other humans. Joe was walking next to her, Mookie and Neelofar were behind her. None of them would talk to her, they believed that she'd been doing something with Aiden too. She didn't want to bother arguing or trying to get them to talk to her, so she just stayed silent herself. She was quite scared and the tension seemed to build with every step she took. She'd been bitten before but she'd been in a trance and didn't remember much of it. Then she began to wonder if they'd have some machines up there that would take the blood out for them so the vampires didn't have to bite. She really hoped it was that way. Her heart was in her mouth when they reached the sports hall door. Aiden and Mr Albaster pushed their way to the front and opened the big double doors and motioned for them to enter. The humans, hesitantly, walked in but huddled against the wall away from the vampires who were spread out around the hall. There was either a werewolf or a shapeshifter by the side of them. The Jezebel's disappointment there was no machines in sight. Though the person stood next to each vampire held a piece of card with a number on it. She started to wonder what that was for, but she didn't have to wonder long.

"Each vampire, in this room, has a number." Mr Albaster began, he was now stood in front of them, Aiden at his side. Jezebel tried to catch Aiden's eye but he was avoiding looking at her for some reason. Mr Albaster was holding a hat out in front of him, "This hat contains smaller pieces of paper, and each has a number. In turn you will each be asked to take a number. Once you have your number, you go to the Vampire with your number. It is fair so there is no moaning about which vampire gets who and all that." Mr Albaster looked like he might throw up at any moment. "Now, form an orderly line." Quickly enough the humans formed a line, there seemed to be more vampires than humans. That can't be good. Jezebel counted down, she was eleventh in the line. Mookie, Neelofar and Joe were ahead of her. "No feeding is to start until you are given my command." That was directed at the vampires although he didn't turn around to face them. "Each vampire has a supervisor, so you are not alone and are at no risk. They will make sure that they don't take too much blood away. Ok, lets get started." He said it in such a way that made not only Jezebel, but also everyone else realise that he really didn't want this to happen. Then again, who would? It was quite risky and that added on top of his dislike for vampires must make this a very bad day for him.

The first girl picked a number, looked around, spotted her vampire and went to stand beside him. The line went down like that. Mookie was paired with the female vampire who had come and complained, Neelofar was with a blonde vampire who Jezebel had never really noticed before and Joe was with a mean looking vampire.

Jezebel stepped forward to the hat, her heart was hammering hard. _Don't let it be someone scary, don't let it be someone scary_, she silently pleaded. She pulled out a piece of paper. Her hands were shaking as she opened it, her palms were slick with sweat. _Number 6_. She looked up. Spotting a big number 6 she glanced at the vampire and felt her jaw drop open. Mr Wetherby smiled at her. The vampire English teacher every girl had fallen for. He mouthed, "Is it me?" at her. She, feeling completely docile, forced herself to nod. He chuckled slightly and shook his head. He had stood with his hands behind his back, he now brought one to the front and twitched his index finger, summoning her to him, and luckily his supervisor didn't seem to notice. She looked from his hand to his face, he was giving her a sly sexy smile. She made her legs move and walked over to him. She stood next to him and instantly felt his arm slide behind her back to hug her close to him. She was sure to anyone else this would look a completely innocent gesture of comfort, but she knew better. Deciding to take her mind off of it. She glanced at the vampires around her. She spotted a few she recognised, but her gaze did eventually land on one of the people she'd been unintentionally looking for. Vlad was stood, a little blonde girl stood at his side looking pleased, if not slightly scared. He was staring into space, probably trying not to imagine the predicament he was in. This probably wasn't easy for the vampires either. She dragged her gaze away from Vlad. She scanned the room twice but there was no sign of Casper. She frowned, he needed food, he should be in here.

The last person claimed there vampire and Mr Albaster and Aiden looked over them. Aiden met her gaze for a minute and he gave her a small half-hearted smile of reassurance, she tried her best to smile back though her inside were turning inside out at the thought of being bitten by Mr Wetherby. Aiden's gaze moved to the vampire next to her and he frowned, not pleased with what he saw. She watched him turn and say something quietly to Mr Albaster who then looked their way, then he looked out into the crowd at someone else, she didn't follow his gaze. Mr Albaster then walked over to her, took her arm and guided her away from Mr Wetherby, she saw where they were headed and dropped her gaze to the floor. Mr Albaster then let her go and grabbed the small blonde girl's arm and led her back to Mr Wetherby.

Jezebel dared a look up at Vlad, his gaze was focused on the wall ahead of him.

"Right." Mr Albaster said once he reached the front of the hall again. He then glanced at his watch, "You may begin."

Jezebel saw the vampires in front of her turn to their human, she looked away quickly before she saw anything that'd scare her too much. She turned to Vlad, he was still looking at the wall ahead of him. Vlad's supervisor had turned away, as had all the other vampires'. Vlad sighed and turned to her. His green eyes met hers and he attempted a smile.

"It should be Casper here." He whispered. "Not me. You're blood would sustain him for longer as you are soulmates."

"You need to feed too and he's not here." Is all Jezebel said. Vlad's eyes then became alert and he then looked around the room. He obviously hadn't noticed before that Casper wasn't there. He began to walk away, probably to go find him, but his supervisor turned quick as a flash and grabbed his arm.

"Feed now, worry later." The werewolf said, then let go of his arm and turned away again.

Vlad looked down at Jezebel again, this time she could see hunger in his eyes. Was he blushing? That was incredible, it was the slightest change of colour but noticeable. He was blushing, he was embarrassed. She held down her giggles that were threatening to burst through and took his hand. She tugged gently on it, she was no way as strong as him but he got the message and moved closer.

"Feed." She whispered.

He swallowed hard, then moved his head down, as he moved his eyes kept darting to hers until he could no longer make eye contact. His breath fanned out against her neck and made her shudder. Suddenly the fear of the pain returned and her heart started hammering.

"Don't be afraid." He breathed in her ear. Then he kissed her neck gently. She felt a slight twinge as the fangs entered her flesh but that feeling died away and she was just left with an odd numbness. One hand slid to he back of his neck, another around his waist trying to pull him closer. The feeling this was giving her was strange, very strange yet somehow pleasurable. They were connected. She felt his arms slide around her waist. She let her head hang back and closed her eyes, enjoying it.

"Time's up!" Mr Albaster interrupted the moment. Vlad's shoulders slumped slightly and he removed his fangs from her neck and stood up straight. His green eyes were glowing. She caught a glimpse of his fangs, they were covered with blood, her blood. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and then rubbed his sleeve with his other hand. He looked at her, his eyes dimming so they looked human again and said, "Thank you."

"Another dead?" Aiden tried to keep his voice low, but he was angry, "No one has tried to leave!"

Ash was absently wiping blood off of his knife and staring into space. "They were starting to think I'd either left or gone soft on them. Besides it wasn't one of your friends." Then he looked straight at him, those weird eyes scanning his expression.

"That's not the point!" Aiden began but suddenly the knife was at his throat again. Damn Ash moved fast.

"This has nothing to do with you, I'm saving this world and hurting my brother so – " He stopped abruptly. He'd messed up.

"Who's your brother?"

"No one! My brother is dead!" Ash pressed the knife harder against Aiden's throat, then did his manic smile and stepped back, "Well dead for now anyway."

"What do you mean?" Aiden rubbed a hand tentatively to his throat. There was no blood.

"I mean exactly what I said. My brother is dead to me for now." Ash said calmly. Then he turned away and continued sorting out his weapons. "Let me tell you," he began, "a little about my past. Sit." Aiden did as instructed and sat on a wooden beam. They were in the attic above the Drama classroom, B1. If Ash hadn't shown him it, Aiden would have never noticed it, it was hidden by the long black stage curtains that surrounded the whole drama room. Even if you did pull back the curtain, the door was the same colour of the wall and very hard to spot, even the handle blended with it. "I grew up in Sacran, the eldest son in a very powerful family. My father had it all, a mansion, an army, a beautiful wife and an obedient son.

Then, my mother fell pregnant again. My father was over the moon about it. He couldn't do enough. He kicked his own brother out of the house, so the new baby could have the next biggest room. My little brother was born. According to my mother; he looked like her own little angel, given by heaven. I knew better. The baby, was obviously related to my mother, but there was no connection with my father. I, for one, look just like him. So it got me thinking. Maybe my mother was having an affair, maybe this child wasn't my father's.

Anyway, shortly after the baby was born, my father started ignoring me. My training stopped because he was too busy to teach me to fight because he wanted to be with the baby. Then gradually, my father didn't want to spend any time with me at all, he hardly even acknowledged I existed." Ash slammed a fist down on the box he had his weapons set up on. His fist went straight through it, he stared at it for a bewildered moment, then pulled it back and flexed his fingers. This really pained him. Aiden felt uncomfortable just sitting this far away from him. He then continued when he got a hold of himself, "Then, one night, I wandered home from the field near our home. The lights were on in the house, but as far as I knew both my parents were out. I tried the door and it was locked. I went around to the living room window to knock and ask them to let me in. What I saw, I'll never forget.

My mother was sat on the couch, my baby brother in her arms, next to her sat a man I had never seen before. He was a vampire. A dirty, blood-sucking _vampire_. My mother and father, well I know my father did, but they were supposed to hate vampires and yet, there she was, smiling at him. Then she kissed him and I felt my insides wretch. My suspicions had been correct, she had been having an affair and the baby in her arms, the one my father loved so dearly, wasn't even his." Ash fell silent. He didn't move.

Aiden, despite himself, wanted to know the rest. "What happened then?" he asked quietly. Ash spoke in a detached voice that chilled Aiden to the bone.

"I ran to my father. Didn't pause until I reached him. I told him everything I saw and told him about my brother. Well, half brother. I told him everything I could have possibly told him." Again Ash fell silent.

"How did he react to the news?" Aiden asked. He didn't budge from his seat and braced himself for Ash's explosion. But it never came. Ash just answered, detached and distant. Lost in the memory.

"He back-handed me across the face. Told me if I ever spoke ill of my mother again he'd kill me. That anger in his eyes. He thought I was lying…"

This time Aiden did move, he moved to Ash's side and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ash didn't respond, just stared at the weaponry in front of him without really seeing it. Aiden had thought his past was bad, well Ash's was worse.

"So what happened in the end, did your father realise?"

"In the end yes, but this is after my brother had grown up, my father had trained him well, given him the army instead of me. Even though he promised the army would be mine. Its just strange, all them years. My father didn't even question my mother about my brother. He didn't even look like him. My brother had blonde hair and his eye colour was not shared with any of us. I mean, how could you not notice that, right?" Ash didn't wait for a reply, he just kept going, "My brothers vampire nature came out fully when he reached his early teens. My father found him sucking the blood out of a cat he'd picked off the street. My father assumed my brother had been turned by a vampire and been too ashamed to tell him about it. So he turned the other cheek, helped my brother any way he could.

It was pathetic really. My father raised him, trained him, made him powerful. The vampire strength and the demonic blood inside him made him an unstoppable force. My brother went insane eventually. The vampire side awakened the true demon instincts inside him as it didn't with the rest of us. He became a bloodthirsty killer, not that he wasn't already, damn vampires. He led our people to victory many times, in great wars, but his mind was polluted with the demon instincts, he became insane. So insane that my father took him to the three witch sisters, asking, no, _begging_ them to help him.

They told him, they would not help a killer or a demon. My father was on his knees at their feet, begging. To help my brother. My father never begged for anything. Ever. They refused. Charity, though, being the soft one said she would help him any way she could though he wouldn't be fully cured."

"Charity. As in the Ophelia, Chalice and Jezebel's mom?"

"Yes. Her." He didn't sound too pleased. "Anyway, it turned out all she could do is erase my brothers memory of anything like that and put a spell on his mind or something that would help the memories stay hidden but she said it wasn't positive because his demon nature could get rid of it eventually. And it did. Slowly, at home, memories started seeping back through. He couldn't live with himself, with what he'd done. He was _weak_. My father called upon Charity again. This time it seemed the only way to save him was to let him go. She erased bit of his memory again and planted a false memory. Giving him an enemy, a reason to forget the rest. After that, my father took him to earth blind folded. He didn't speak, didn't want to remind my brother of him. My father left him on earth. No way of contacting us, or knowing anything."

Aiden stared at Ash, disbelievingly. Sure, his brother wasn't the son of his father, but he was still related to him. Ash had smiled when he mentioned his father leaving his brother alone and defenceless on earth. Aiden swallowed and asked, "You said, your brother is dead to you, _for now_, what did you mean?"

"I preferred my brother when he was the psychopath, we got on when he was that way. We both had a twisted mind, his more twisted obviously. My brother will be back to that way soon, and he can help me, with what I need doing." Ash finally seemed to be coming back. He blinked twice and turned to look at Aiden, he stared at the hand Aiden had on his shoulder as if he'd only just noticed it was there. Aiden swiftly removed it.

"So your brother is still alive?"

"Yes."

Aiden nodded, feeling that the conversation was over and moved away. Seriously, he'd been comforting a killer. Someone who had killed some of his friends. He couldn't help it though. The boy was messed up. Born of demon blood. He was the half demon breed that Aiden had thought was only a myth. It explained a lot about Ash.

"Did your brother recognize you? And did that bring back his memories?" Aiden asked, picking up a magazine that dusty and discarded carelessly on the floor. It looked ancient.

"Not straight away. As soon as he did, I couldn't risk him saying anything, so I took him away and I'm in the process of restoring his memories. His former self." Ash replied, closing up his weapons case and sliding back up on a tall thick beam where it was hidden easily by the shadows.

"So, who is he?"

"No one you need to worry about."

Nicole had finally started talking to Jezebel again, it felt better knowing that Nicole didn't hate her completely. It was slightly awkward talking, the subject of Aiden was buried very deep. If either bothered to dig it up, then they'd be buried along with it next time.

"So what was it like?" Nicole asked, genuinely interested. "Like, I know you've been bitten before but you knew about it this time."

"It was…different." Jezebel replied, very uncomfortable on that subject. She felt as if she'd done something very wrong, she felt very guilty. _What would Casper say?_ She kept thinking. She didn't know and would always correct herself that there was nothing but friendship between her and Casper. Only friendship between her and anyone for that matter. The bite had seemed somehow very intimate.

The doors of the hall opened at the far end of the room and Aiden wandered in. He froze when he saw her and Nicole stood together.

"I should probably move." Nicole mumbled.

"No." Jezebel grabbed her arm and dragged her back, praying to god she didn't get another slap. She didn't. Aiden, began to walk over.

_Perfect!_ Jezebel though sarcastically. She'd have to show there was nothing between them. _Be cold_, she told herself, _no mercy_.

"Hi." Aiden said awkwardly as he reached them.

"Hi," Nicole muttered back, not looking at him.

"_Pfft_, Why are _you_ here?" Jezebel said coldly. She almost winced at the pain she saw flash through his expression.

"I just wanted to know if you were ok." He said, sounding very hurt.

"Well I'm just peachy," She said dryly. "Why don't you go talk to someone who really gives a crap what your saying." And with that, she walked away. Leaving Aiden and Nicole alone. _Don't follow me_, she thought at him, she knew he couldn't hear her, but still it seemed to work. She dared a glance back when she reached the other side of the room. Nicole was stood talking with Aiden. _Bingo_, she thought, _I haven't ruined _everything _just yet_.

The next time she glanced back at them Nicole was in Aiden's arms. He was stroking her hair comfortingly. She ticked Aiden and Nicole off her mental to-do list. Now she had to apologize to Casper. Speaking of which, she hadn't seen him in a while. With that thought in mind she ran from the hall, her heart racing.

**Chapter 4**

"I give up." She sighed and sat herself down on G floor corridor. The ICT rooms surrounded her and she sat facing the other end of the hall, which were the Food Technology rooms. She'd searched the whole school twice, she couldn't find him. Images of all the worst-case scenarios started circling her mind. He couldn't be dead, she'd know. She was his soulmate after all. She'd also know if he was in trouble, but it didn't feel as if it was. This was useless. She pulled her knees up to her chin then buried her head in them and started crying. "Casper, Please. Please be ok." She sobbed into her knees. She felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. She looked up to see Ash sat next to her. She almost jumped out of her skin and moved away so quickly she whacked her head off the wall.

"Ow." She whispered, rubbing at her head. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Ash replied, standing up and helping her to her feet. "Is your head ok?"

"Yes. What are you doing here?" She wasn't giving up on the question so easily.

"I was taking a stroll and heard you sobbing." He examined her head, gently moving her hands away even though she tried to keep them firmly on her head. "What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Casper," She sighed. "I can't find him…I think….i think something's happened to him, but I can't feel it….I'm supposed to be his soulmate…and I can't tell if he's ok or not…" She was babbling, she knew but it was the only thing keeping the tears back.

Ash looked at her for a long moment, she couldn't read his expression, he looked confused and something else that she couldn't quite put her finger on, "I know where he is," He said at last, "I can take you to him if you want."

"Yes please! Please!" She was so happy, he was ok. So happy that she threw herself on Ash, hugging him hard. He tensed at her touch. He didn't hug back. When she released him, he said, "Follow me." And began to walk away, he was walking in big strides. She was nearly breaking into a jog trying to keep up with him.

He took her, over G Floor Bridge, she took a moment to look out at the outside world. She missed it. She wanted to get out of here. They walked along A floor, over to D floor and down the stairs, underground, to C floor. The lights on C floor had mostly gone out so it was almost pitch black. There was one light at the end of the twisting corridor, the only light there, and even that was flickering. Ash stopped under the flickering light, his hand on the end classroom's door handle.

"Jezebel, I must warn you. He's not…himself." Ash said.

"I don't care, I want to see him."

Ash nodded and pushed the door open.

The classroom was pitch black, there was no light what so ever. The air in the classroom felt tight and suffocating, there was a certain tension in the air.

Jezebel wandered a bit further into the dark, she glanced back at the flickering light from the corridor, lighting up the wall opposite it. Unfortunately the door was at the side of the classroom in the corner, so no light was let in to the main part of the room.

"Casper?" She barely dared to whisper. There was something not right about the classroom. Her lungs felt heavy and useless. "Casper?" She tried again. No answer. _Bang_. The door slammed shut behind her, cutting off all light and she was left abandoned in the middle of the classroom, unable to see anything. She reached out, trying to catch an object, to guide her but there was nothing within reach and she didn't dare move. "Casper?" She whimpered. This was too scary. She was going to die. She knew it.

"Hello, my dear." The smooth voice came from right next to her ear. She screamed and jumped away, falling over a desk in the process. She fell, her – already hurting – head hitting the floor hard. She was too scared to scream or cry and in too much pain to move. She felt the pressure of a cold hand on her cheek as she lay on the floor.

"Who are you?" She whimpered again. No response came. The pressure on her cheek was removed. The lights flickered on above her, so unexpected and bright that she was blinded for a second or two. Then a dark shadow seemed to come over her, she glanced up sharply. Her eyes widened.

"Casper?" She whispered, but it wasn't Casper. Casper was the well-mannered, neat, thoughtful man she knew. The man stood before her now looked nothing like him. His lovely blonde hair was all messy, there were a few cuts on his face and arms but they were healing, his purple eyes were wide and manic, just like his smile. He had an odd focused energy about him now, no human would have that. "Whats happened to you?" She whispered, putting a hand over her mouth to stop her screaming again.

He didn't reply, he just stared. He reached in his back pocket and brought out a silver, glittering object. This time, she did scream. Very loud.

Vlad wandered along D floor. He couldn't get Jezebel off of his mind. He'd fed off of her and it had felt good. Not that it didn't always feel good, but this felt better. Not just in the satisfying his hunger for blood, it also half satisfied his hunger for something else. He shook the thought away. At least at this side of the school it was ok to be alone with thoughts. He was a vampire, he could handle himself if a nasty murderer decided to jump him. His thoughts turned to Ophelia. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He sighed and reached for it. He never got alone time anymore.

He froze as a thought struck him. His phone was buzzing, meaning someone was calling, meaning they were working. He grabbed the phone and flipped it up.

Chalice, the caller ID said. He answered it.

"Hello?" He said, quite unsure of this. Thinking now maybe it was a trick played by the murderer to distract him. He glanced around nervously.

"Hello." The cool, crystal clear voice rang back. Vlad's un-beating heart seemed to leap.

"Ophelia," he sighed with relief, "I was just thinking about you."

"And I, you." She replied, he could hear the smile in her voice. "I have been having bad feelings this whole time. I've wanted to come find you, but something kept telling me to stay away. This is the first time I've managed to get through, has your phone been off?"

That brought Vlad back to the matter at hand, "No, Ophelia, we're trapped at school with a murderer. People are dying. Don't come in yourself or you'll be trapped to. Call someone, anyone, send them in, please" He said it all as fast and precise as he could.

"Ok." Ophelia replied after a moments hesitation. "I'll get them over right away. Sit tight."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it, stay safe." Then she hung up. Vlad stared at the phone for a minute before putting it away. _Ophelia_, he thought and couldn't help but smile.

A scream rang straight through his eardrums. A high-pitched shriek of terror. Unfortunately, he recognised the scream. He took off at a vampire sprint. He stopped dead at the end of the corridor near the stairs, realising he had no idea where I had come from. Then he smelt a rich, tempting aroma. Blood. He followed the smell down through C floor to the end of the floor altogether. The last classroom. He burst through the door and stopped frozen at the sight he saw.

Jezebel was on the floor, she was sobbing, next thing he noticed was the big gash across her right shoulder. Casper was stood glaring at Ash, who was stood between him and Jezebel, a bloody knife in his hand.

Casper stood over Jezebel, knife poised to strike. "Good bye, dear." He said in a detached voice and brought the knife down hard. Jezebel closed her eyes, a searing pain cut across her shoulder and she screamed. The pain seemed a bit too spread out for the knife, in fact she couldn't even feel the knife. She opened her eyes, just in time to see Ash push Casper back. Ash was stood with his back to her, the knife in his hand covered with her blood. He'd saved her, it was a close one but he'd done it. She felt a mixture of emotions was over her at once. The pain from her shoulder, she was in shock because she could have been killed just now, she was upset and scared for Casper, this wasn't him. She started sobbing.

"You're the murderer. I knew it!" Vlad's voice sounded angry. Jezebel snapped her head around to look at the doorway, it probably wasn't a wise move as her shoulder pain got worse and she let out a little cry. Vlad stormed angrily over. No, she didn't want him to hurt Casper. Casper was ill.

"Vlad, no – " She whispered but stopped as he grabbed Ash's throat instead. Ash's eyes widened in shock too.

Then everything seemed to happen so fast. Vlad's hand was suddenly empty and he was being dragged away. Ash was on the ground, his body twitching ever so slightly now and again. Casper was stood with a blank expression on his face as people moved around him. Someone she'd never seen before was at her side, they were healing her shoulder, she felt the pain. She turned her head back to look at Vlad but all she was a pair of fancy black shoes. Her eyes skimmed up the expensive looking suit, all the way to the face. Theo stood over her, his expression unreadable. He was looking down at her shoulder and frowning. The pain in her shoulder faded as the people worked and eventually all that was left was a tingle. Theo offered a hand to her, she reluctantly took it and he helped her up.

"That was a close call." He said, clasping his hands behind his back. "You could have been killed." He looked over to Ash, who was stood with his head leaning against the wall, he had some weird things binding his hands, they looked like little blue lightning bolts. Like his wrists were bound with electricity.

"Won't they hurt him?" She asked. Theo followed her gaze then chuckled slightly.

"They'll only shock him if he tried to escape or get them off." He answered. Ash glanced over, glowered at Theo then turned back to the wall.

"Why are you here?" She snapped, suddenly defensive. Why should he be the one who's here saving her?

"My people got a call from a number of distressed citizens, which we ignored. Today we got one from someone of authority, my people had no choice but to come and make sure everything was ok. I tagged along as it is my job to make sure my citizens are ok." He explained; his eyes stayed on Ash the whole time. Jezebel wondered why Ash hadn't pleaded his innocence.

**Chapter 5**

Luna curled herself around Jezebel's legs, obviously wanting attention. Jezebel crouched down and stroked the cat's head. "What do you want?" She asked the cat.

Luna wandered over to the counter, hopped on to it and sat next to the sink.

"Water?" Jezebel asked. Luna meowed in response. Jezebel chuckled and filled the cat's water dish. It had been almost a month since they'd been trapped at the school and everything was getting back to normal. _Time flies when you're having fun_, Jezebel grimaced. The house felt so empty now, without Casper around. Which reminded her. She grabbed her coat, the keys to her new bike (which she'd bought) and her appointment card.

The waiting room was silent and Jezebel felt very uncomfortable sat on the horrible green seats. The room was painted a blinding white and was beginning to give her a headache. The clock on the wall had stopped working, the time reading seven forty five. A plump brunette nurse poked her head around the door.

"Jezebel Kandyll?" She asked, looking at Jezebel, then at the clipboard in her hand.

"Yeah, that's me." Jezebel replied, a little angry, she'd been waiting two hours for this fifteen-minute session. They were running and hour and forty-five minutes late. Yet, there was no one here.

"This way, Miss Kandyll." The nurse opened the door wider, gesturing Jezebel in. Jezebel got up, taking her own sweet time and made her way through the door. The nurse quickly shut and bolted the door and jogged to get in front of Jezebel to lead the way. Everything was silent except for the sound of their footsteps. It was a little scary for a place that was supposed to be crammed full of nut-jobs. There was a scream form down the hall, not just a scream but relentless screaming. It sounded female, thankfully.

"I'll just be a moment, wait here." The nurse mumbled then waddled away quickly. Jezebel watched as a bunch of doctors and nurses scuttle past her, to the end of the corridor and round the corner. The screaming turned to a gurgle, and then everything fell silent again. Jezebel felt her stomach clench. What had they done? A few moments later, doctors and nurses wandered away looking pleased with themselves and the plump nurse waddled back to her.

"Right, this way." She said, resuming as if nothing had happened. Jezebel followed, to scared to ask her what had gone on. After many turning corridors and set of double doors they reached a large metal door that looked like it was keeping some sort of dangerous animal in. Jezebel couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness. "Just let me check first." The nurse said and went through a series of process that it took to unlock the door, she poked her head in for just a moment and then said, "You can go in."

Jezebel hesitated and then walked past the nurse and through the door. She jumped as it slammed shut behind her and she heard all the locks slide back into place. She was locked in too now. A glint of gold caught her eye. Casper was sat the table in the middle of the room, staring down at it, drumming his fingers gently. She hesitantly took the seat opposite to him. His purple eyes stayed fixed on the metal table in front of him.

"Hello." He said, in the scarily calm tone he used nowadays. When she didn't reply he sighed and said, "I don't know why you visit me. I don't know you."

"You do know me." She whispered. Holding back tears, she hated seeing him like this. She loved him, she could admit that now, but what was the point when it was too late to tell him? She bit her lip, that thought had made her want to cry more, but she would, not here, not with him, not with cameras on her.

"I think you should leave." He said, his fingers stopped drumming for a second, then began again. "Not that I don't _love_ your company." He rolled his eyes, "I just feel your wasting your time with me. I don't know you." Casper rose from his seat and made his way over to the bed and laid down, staring up at the roof with his hands behind his head. Jezebel stared at him. After a few moment of silence he said, "I'm dangerous, you know." Jezebel's heart began to beat faster. "You shouldn't be in here with me." Then his face was inches for her, "And you wouldn't have a chance in hell of stopping me." He grinned horridly, showing his razor sharp fangs. Before she could react, he was gone, back on the bed, staring up, his expression blank. "Go, now."

"Casper – " She whispered, "Please, just remember me. You know who I am. Deep down, you know." She took a picture out of her bag. It was a picture of herself. She placed it on the table, then got up and pressed the buzzer to be let out.

The nurse led her round to the next room, cursing under her breath about having to do this much walking all for a skinny, pale, witch. Jezebel kept her mouth shut though she heard this, best not to insult the woman that would be letting her out of the rooms.

The nurse motioned her inside the next room and again the door slammed shut behind her.

"Ah, nice to see you again." Ash said, moving toward her. She stepped back. He stopped moving and smirked, "Still don't like me, huh?"

She didn't speak, although she didn't like him, he had saved her life and he felt it her job to come and visit him seen as no one else would. Everyone deserved to have contact with someone; isolation was just out of the question for her. She'd been isolated a long time ago and it pained her to think about. "How's my brother doing?" he asked.

"Still doesn't remember me." She replied flatly. She could have hit him when the corner of his mouth quirked in amusement.

"He was bound to go this way anyway, I did you a favour."

"By locking me in a school where we nearly all starved to death and killed each other, by killing my friends – " She'd wished she hadn't said the last bit, tears came to her eyes at the memory of seeing her friends dead, CJ and Charlie hanging in the science classroom, James's lifeless eyes –

She didn't even see him move but she was suddenly in Ash's arm, he was pressing her head against his chest and stroking her hair comfortingly. She didn't try pull away but focussed her energy on stopping crying.

"I didn't kill your friends." He whispered.

"Yes you did! I saw them! They were dead!" She sobbed, feebly hitting his chest.

"Well, I did and I didn't."

She pulled away from him to look into his silver eyes; she had no idea what he was saying.

"I killed them to prove a point, but I would never let an innocent stay dead by my own hands – unless they were a vampire – or one of Courtney's friends, them girls pissed me off – " He was rambling now.

"What are you trying to say?" She butted in.

"What I am saying, is yes I did kill them, I cut them open." Jezebel winced at the thought. "But I didn't leave them dead, I took the bodies. They aren't human, Jezebel, but they are alive."

She stared at him for a long moment; nothing about him indicated that he was lying. "Where are they?" She whispered.

"Your school still. B1. Attic." He laughed and released her now she was over her tears, "Well they haven't been fed in a while, and I doubt they're still alive now."

Jezebel looked at her watch then at the door, then back to Ash. He's been watching her and smiled, "Yes, go. Find your friends." He said, waving her off.

"Thank you," She whispered, then hugged him hard and ran to the door, slapping the buzzer.

Jezebel felt slightly stupid carrying a bright blue bucket full of raw meat, but if her friends were in there they'd be starving and since they were untrained they would most likely eat her.

"So why are we here again?" Aiden asked, glancing at her then the bucket with some concern. She'd asked him to tag along. Despite her witch powers, which she didn't even know how to begin to use them, she was still human and still weak. Aiden however was a werewolf, a strong one and would be able to protect her. Or he would at least try, she assured herself. Walking into the school was a whole other experience, she'd done it everyday this week and the newly painted walls and newly laid out flooring still shocked her. It looked so new, so different and so alien.

B1. She told herself, forcing her legs to move. The thought of finding her friends alive was the only thing driving her on. What she didn't want was to get there and find all of them dead again, she didn't think she could bear it.

She saw Aiden's hand reach towards the bucket, she jerked the bucket away and slapped his hand. "I said it wasn't for you."

"But I'm so hungry." He said in his whiney voice. She smiled.

"You can have some later."

He then decided to go into a pout and they walked along A floor and up B floor stairs in silence. She stopped outside the classroom. For some reason Aiden froze.

"What?" She asked, her hand stopping dead on the door handle.

"Why are we here?" He was staring straight at the door as if he could see beyond it.

"You'll see," she replied. Then opened the door, bracing herself for something to jump out at her. Nothing did. _B1. Attic_. She remembered him saying. She didn't know B1 had an attic. The two of them entered the room; Jezebel scanned the room for a way to get to the attic, there was none.

"Something doesn't feel right." Aiden said and when she looked at him she saw that all his muscles were tense, he was pretty much on edge.

"I need to find the attic" She decided to ask for help seen, as she was so desperate to get up there. Instead of asking way Aiden simply moved over to one of the big curtains, moved it aside and opened a door she'd never noticed before. He was up there before she'd even reached the door.

She gasped as she caught up with him. It was like a secret hideout. There were notes, date, times, maps and all manner of things stuck over the walls on pieces of paper. There were clothes on boxes, books piled around.

"There's something up here." Aiden commented, every cell in his body tuned into the room around him, "One of my people."

Jezebel was secretly relieved, she had assumed after Ash had said that they weren't human but where alive, that he meant werewolves because vampires weren't technically alive. As if he knew just what he was doing Aiden strolled over to a desk, lit with a small desk lamp, reached above him and brought back down a black case. She moved closer as he opened it to have a look what was inside. It was filled with an array of weaponry that amazed even her. Aiden reached for a silver dagger.

"Aiden, do – " But it was too late, he'd grabbed it. It was obvious that he was in pain by the way he held it. She could smell burning, which was probably his flesh and the metal. He held it out to her and she quickly took it. His hand was red and bleeding but was healing already. He slammed the case shut and turned to her.

"How did you know this was here?" She asked, staring from him to the dagger and back again.

"That doesn't matter. Come on." They moved swiftly, avoiding hazardous object that lay strewn in their path. Aiden grabbed a torch off a box and handed it to her. "I can see, you can't. You'll need this." She switched it on.

The attic was massive; it spanned the whole of this part of the school. "We should split up," She said.

"You know how that ends in the movies." Aiden commented, still sticking close by her side.

"We'll find them quicker if we split up."

"Find who?"

"You'll know if you find them."

Then she wandered away on her own, leaving Aiden to go his own way. She wandered on and on in the darkness her torch skimming over everything. A sudden white flash almost blinded her. She moved her torch back to it. It was a sign with big red lettering.

_DANGER_

_OPEN VENTS_

When she moved her torch away, in the darkness she could see little shafts of light coming from the open vent. She moved her torch back and something glinted in the distance. Bars. Bars of a cage. She raced over, narrowly escaping falling down one of the vents. This place really was a hazard, then again it wasn't like people often came up here and if they did it would be the caretaker with the correct equipment. She took a glance down one of the vents and saw that she was directly over the hall. The vents were just holes in the roof. The drop from the vents was pretty much a two story drop as the hall joined both A and B floor as one big room.

She remembered in many exams staring up at the big dark holes in the roof and wondering what was up there, now she knew.

Upon reaching the cage she quickly swept her torch over everything, all that was in the cage were a few bones with a few miniscule chunks of flesh on. After looking over the bones she came to the conclusion that they were two skeletons in there. She was too late. Then instead of crying, as she would in the normal situation, her brain started to work double time. They hadn't been in here long enough for them to decay like that and the flesh looked like it have been torn off. There had be 3 friends here, not two. Which meant one must have been the dominant one and eaten the other two to survive. Which then meant there was still one alive. She skimmed the torchlight across the cage bars and froze on a gigantic hole that had literally been torn out. There was a very powerful werewolf around here with her and she was alone and in the dark. She stepped back slight form the cage, her hand shaking as she scanned the light around. Two golden eyes reflected back and a huge grey wolf came into view. She stumbled backward in an effort to get away. She heard movement in front of her but that wasn't the most of her worries. Her foot went back again but this time hit nothing and she fell backwards. She's stepped right into nothingness and was now hurtling towards death.

She felt as if she was floating, she watched as the torch that was in her hand, fell faster than her and clattered to the ground, smashing and scattering everywhere. She then realised she wasn't actually falling, that's why the ground wasn't rising up to meet her. She looked up at the vent from which she'd fallen and gasped. James had a tight hold of her wrist and was staring down at her with concern. His eyes had changed from brown to a luminous golden. She looked back down at the floor far below, she could have been spread all over that.

"Thank you." It was barely a whisper as her gaze locked with his again. He pulled her back up through the vent with ease and set her on the ground next to him. She instantly threw herself onto him, crying with relief. He was ok. His arms went around her. "I thought you were dead." She was so happy.

"Yeah I did too." He replied.

Why wasn't he killing her? She thought, he wasn't supposed to be controlled. And how the hell had he changed from wolf to human so fast?

"She's over here." James yelled, so suddenly it made her jump. "Sorry," he said, smiling at her apologetically, "My hearing is a lot better than yours."

Aiden was with them within seconds. "Is he the only one?" Aiden asked Jezebel. She found that a little rude, he'd just ignored James completely as if he was nothing.

"Yes. _James_ is the only one." She replied, sending a message to Aiden through her eyes as only a best friend could.

"I'm so very sorry, your highness." Aiden grimaced. James just looked between the both of them confused.

"Come on, lets get out of here. I've had my share of excitement for today." Jezebel finally said, putting her hand to her head remembering the fall.

**Chapter 6**

Vlad lay on the comfy couch; Ophelia snuggled tight against him. They were officially in love the way soulmates were supposed to be. She was everything he ever wanted and he was the same to her. She leant up and kissed his cheek lightly, he couldn't help but smile when she did that. Her mobile started ringing and she sighed. Things like mobiles always got in the way of moments like this.

"I'll be right back," She got up, kissed his cheek and then wandered into the kitchen to answer the call.

He sighed when she was gone and took the time to turn the channel on the TV while she was gone. A short while later she rushed back into the living room, grabbing her coat off the hook and jamming her arms into the sleeves. Still managing to appear graceful while doing this. Vlad had noticed that Ophelia had this silent nature about her. She made almost everything look effortless, even her walk was strong, confident, sexy and also silent, even with his exceptional hearing.

"Where are you going?" He asked, getting to his feet.

"Witch business, I'm needed." She replied, walking back over to him. She smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss her and of course, he didn't argue with that. "I'll be back soon." She pulled away and walked toward the far wall, opposite the door. She must be losing it.

"Um, Ophelia – " But the words died on his tongue as a portal opened on the wall in front of her, she didn't even stop when it appeared just walked through it like it was an open door. As soon as she was through it simply disappeared. Vlad smiled to himself, how could he have even begun to doubt her?

He shook his head and sat down on the sofa, alone again. The TV was just a something to pass the time until he could be with Ophelia.

"You nearly finished in there?" James called from the other side of the door. Jezebel had just stepped out of the shower and was currently brushing her teeth.

"Nearly." She talked around the toothpaste. After rinsing her mouth she picked up her dressing gown and put it on. James was casually leaning against the wall in the hallway, waiting for his turn in the bathroom.

"Finally," He grinned, she slapped his arm playfully.

"Least I don't clog the drain with hair." She commented and smiled when he glared at her.

"Werewolves tend to have a lot of hair." His smile returning, then he entered the bathroom, "and I wouldn't be so sure it's just me who clogs the drain with hair," he then shut the door quickly so she couldn't reply. She made a frustrated sound and she could hear his laughter on the other side of the door over the roar of the shower.

James, deciding it was best that his family thought of him as dead, had been living with her since they'd found him. She didn't object to this. In fact she rather enjoyed it, it was nice to have someone in the house with her again. Especially a friend like James, he could always make her smile. For a boy, he also knew his boundaries, like no 'accidental' walking in on her in the shower. She could leave the door unlocked with him here with no risk of him walking in. They'd been friends so long and she had had a crush on him, in fact she still did but she wasn't good enough for him and getting him involved now would just hurt him. She didn't want to hurt him, besides a guy as nice and loving, as James deserved someone better, someone nicer, someone prettier. She tried to shrug off the hurt she felt; he wasn't interested in her anyway. She thought back to when she'd found him as she went into the living room and sat herself on the couch. Well, he'd saved her but looking up at him, her heart had seemed to stop momentarily, then leap with joy. She'd thought him dead, but he hadn't been and she was so happy. She actually felt herself smile. God, what would Casper say if he knew James was living with her? She suddenly felt dark inside. He wouldn't care, he'd changed, he didn't care about her anymore. Did she care about him? It hadn't hurt to think of him being gone this time. Perhaps James was just what she needed. He could cure her hurt; make her feel so much better. He'd love her; he'd always be there. He'd never let anything hurt her. But would he? He didn't have show signs that he even thought of her that way. Maybe he just wasn't interested. That was understandable, she felt like a slut anyway and he deserved better than someone as low as her. She'd led Vlad on, even kissed him, then she'd kissed Aiden and then she'd been with Casper. Every single one was now not an option. Vlad was incredibly happy with his soulmate Ophelia and she was actually happy for them both, if not a tad jealous. Aiden was happily with Nicole and they'd moved into a house together. Casper, well, he was insane and felt nothing for anyone. She might as well just give up now, there was no way she was going to find the right guy and if she did, she'd probably hurt him. She was giving up on dating, not because of men but because of herself, she was just too incapable of keeping a strong relationship. She felt a tear leave her eye; she wiped it away with the back of her hand and switched on the TV. Horror fest, her favourite.

James let the water pour over him. It was cool and refreshing, warm showers were out of the question, cold showers kept his focus. Being a werewolf was a lot harder than her imagined. He thought it would be amazing, to runt through the night as a wolf, not a care in the world, and during the day seeing his friends as usual. Having amazing powers and being able to do what he wanted. But it wasn't like that at all. Sure he had the amazing powers that a werewolf had but turning into a wolf was difficult and painful. Being around people was just as difficult, he hadn't realised that werewolves needed blood to survive too. Humans smelt good enough to eat and in fact he could eat them but he controlled himself, knowing the simple fact that anyone he could kill would have a family who would grieve their loss. Aiden had taught him a few things over the days he'd been staying here with Jezebel, there wasn't a lot to know really, just that morphing in public wasn't allowed anymore. He was taught how to morph, which is how he discovered how painful it was, but Jezebel had been there and helped him, and he'd finally managed it. Being around Jezebel, that was difficult. She was human and looked as good as she smelt. He didn't want to hurt her, he was always on high alert when he was close to her, monitoring his actions, how much strength he put into his action it was a struggle but he did it for her. He began to wonder if it was this difficult for Casper and Vlad. He felt a pang of jealousy. He knew Vlad was an alright guy, but he couldn't stand to be near him. Not just because vampires stunk like rotting corpses to him now, but also because he'd had Jezebel. Something James had wanted for a long time. He'd stayed away from the subject though; just being around her was good enough. If he'd have tried for her, he might have failed and ruined the friendship. _I would have failed;_ he scolded himself for giving the false hope. Jezebel was beautiful, funny, and a very down to earth sort of girl. He believed in love at first sight because of her. From the first time he saw her, he knew he had to have her, but sadly never could. She was so perfect for him, but he didn't deserve her. She deserved someone so much better. _And that means someone who won't bite her neck if they get a little too peckish_, he thought bitterly. Apparently it was natural for him now to hate vampires, and it turns out, it was right. He hated the thought of them, hated that Jezebel had been so lose to them. He'd also heard that they had bitten her. His hands balled into fists at his side and his body started to shake. _She's ok now, she's safe, I'll protect her_, he told himself quickly and the shaking stopped. Getting too angry would cause him to morph in order to seek revenge or protect himself. An automatic trigger, which was a little annoying.

Jezebel sat awkwardly in the blindingly white room. Waiting was hell in this place; you could go crazy in the waiting room. If you did, you were in the right place. The bitchy nurse came out, looked at her then tried to hide her grimace.

"He's ready to see you now." Then she walked off, not waiting for Jezebel to follow. Again, she followed the nurse through the twists and turns of the building. She was buzzed into the room and the nurse left her. The huge door slammed shut behind her. Casper wasn't anywhere to be seen. She was sure this was the right room. Maybe the nurse had gotten mixed up. She turned around to push the buzzer to be let out, only to see Casper stood right behind her. She staggered away out of shock.

"Leaving so soon?" He grinned a horrible grin at her, "I was kinda hoping you'd stay for dinner." She watched as his fangs slid down to full length, they grew to long delicate points. Deadly weapons. She swallowed hard. He wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't. But form the look in his eyes now she wasn't so sure.

"You know, they don't feed us much in this place." He took a step towards her. She, pretty much, fell away, her back hitting the table in the middle of the room. He took advantage of this and was suddenly in front of her.

Why wasn't anyone coming in? The room was crawling with cameras, how was no one seeing this!

"The man watching the cameras is always asleep on the job." He said as if answering her thoughts, which he couldn't be because he couldn't read them.

"I can do whatever I want to you. _Anything_ I want." He really had gone insane.

"Don't you even remember who I am?" She gasped as he grabbed her wrists.

"I know exactly who you are, Jezebel Kandyll. You visit me everyday pretty much. How can I not know who you are?" He whispered in her ear, his mouth menacingly close to her neck. The door suddenly swung open and doctors and nurses ran in, Casper, taken aback didn't react much as they dragged him away from her. The nurse who had let her in escorted her out of the room. She acted as if nothing had happened and led her round to Ash's room. Ash was casually leaning against the wall on the other side of the room.

"Welcome Jezebel." He said, moved across the room and hugging her. Unusual reaction but she didn't argue. "Are you ok?" He asked, his eyes skimming her, looking for injuries.

"Yes, I'm fine." She looked at him puzzled, "Why?"

His silver eyes met hers for a flicker of a moment and then he dropped his arms and moved away. "My brother has made some – " He searched for the right words, "Very unreasonable decisions. I don't think you should see him anymore."

"He just tried to bite me, while I was in his room just now."

Ash shook his head and turned his back to her in thought. "He blames you, for things that have happened to him. He thinks you are working for the enemy."

Wow, he really was insane. "Who, exactly, is the enemy?"

"Theo. He still believes Theo is his enemy and now he believes you and I are working for him." Ash sighed, "It's since he saw you and Theo at the school. Jezebel," He turned to her now and looked her straight in the eye, "Don't come here anymore, it isn't safe."

This sunk in very quickly; she hadn't missed the '_you and I'_ part though. Ash was in danger too. "But what about you? If he thinks you are working for Theo he'll want to kill you too."

"I can look after myself. Please, go now. Go home, be safe." He motioned toward the door.

She didn't argue. She was terrified. She slammed the buzzer down for the door, as soon as it opened she was off at a sprint, she didn't even wait of the nurse. She just needed to get out of this building, away from Casper, away from anything. She hit the front door and burst out into the cold night air.

She heard the doorbell echo on the other side of the door. Jezebel was aware she was shaking, not from the cold but from the chill running down her spine. Casper wanted her dead and he could do it so easily. "I'll get it seen as you won't." She heard Nicole groan from inside.

"Thanks, dear." Aiden sounded far away.

The door opened in front of her. Nicole only took two seconds to take in how she looked. Jezebel was willing herself not to cry and so far it was working. "Oh dear," Was all Nicole said then she stepped aside for Jezebel to enter. She did, and seated herself on the blue couch, not wanting to talk but knowing she'd have to. Nicole sat next to her and hugged her. It was a cold, 'what now?' sort of hug. Jezebel wanted to strike out at her but didn't have the energy. "So what's happened?" Nicole asked when Jezebel stayed silent. Jezebel then proceeded to tell the story, Nicole looked more and more panicked by the minute.

"Classic Angel and Demon story, eh?" Jezebel and Nicole both looked, startled, toward the doorway to the dining room. Aiden was stood there dressed in a fluffy pink bathrobe. Unfortunately Jezebel didn't have time to enjoy the amusing sight, she was too shaken and scared.

"What do you mean?" Nicole asked.

"Well its obvious isn't it. Opposites attract. She is a witch, a sister of light, an angel in a sense. He is the opposite, a demon. I swear I read something about this in a book somewhere." He took an apple out of the bowl on the dining table and took a bite of it, clearly in deep thought.

"Since when did you eat fruit?" Nicole asked, shocked.

"It isn't there just to look pretty, ya know. Aiden smiled and took another bite.

"Anyway," Jezebel interrupted trying to get back on subject, "What do you mean by this? Casper's a vampire not a demon." Jezebel was quite fond of vampires and didn't like them being talked about like demons.

"No, Casper and Ash are demons. Casper is also part vampire. It's a really long story so I'm gonna cut it short. Ash is a killer, it's in his demonic nature. Casper is an insane, bloodthirsty killer, that's to do with his vampire side bringing out the worst in him."

"And you came to know this how?" Nicole looked at him suspiciously.

"What can I say? I get on with killers." Then he grinned. Nicole got up and moved to his side, he put a fluffy pink arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead, before taking another bite of apple. "Jezebel, he is your soulmate, but he's not destined to be your one true love. He's destined to kill you."

Jezebel's eyes widened slightly at this news, it's not like she had expected anything else but it was still a shock to hear it out loud. "What should I do?" She asked, barely able to speak now.

"For now, I'd say stop visiting him for good. Don't even go near that place." Aiden paused and thought a moment, "and try move on from him. I know you were attached but he feels nothing for you anymore and you should feel the same for him."

"You've already got _someone_ interested." Nicole commented, giving a sly sort of smile.

"Who?" Jezebel was genuinely confused. Who would want her after all this? No one.

"James, obviously." Nicole grimaced.

"No, he doesn't like me that way." Jezebel looked at the floor, _but I like him_, she said silently to herself.

"Don't be so sure." Aiden said. Jezebel's gaze snapped up, she tried to glare at him but couldn't. Nicole who was shaking and biting her lip distracted her. Jezebel quickly realised that Nicole was trying to hold back laughter and was failing. Aiden was smiling. This was that amusing? Jezebel felt herself go beet red, she looked down and glared at the floor, trying to burn a hole in it so she could leap through it away from this embarrassment.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"All I'm saying is, don't be so quick to judge." He then proceeded to quickly change the subject. "Speaking of James, he'll be worried about you, you better get back."

Knowing when she wasn't wanted, Jezebel, got up, said goodbye and left to go home.

James was at the bottom of the driveway just as she pulled in.

"Where are you going?" She shouted over the engine, her shout muffled by the helmet. James's superior hearing still picked it up. She shut off the engine and removed her helmet then, realizing that he might be able to hear her but she couldn't hear him.

"I was just about to come look for you." He admitted, looking little embarrassed, colour actually flooded to his cheeks. Adorable.

"Well, I'm ok. Come on, let's go inside." She said, getting off her bike and walking up to the house. James close behind her. He went to make tea while she went to get showered and changed. She put on her black silk nightgown that only went half way down her thigh. She didn't know why she had chosen to wear it, all she knew was that it felt good to wear it. She walked back to the living room and for some reason, unknown even to herself, she lit a few of the scented candles and placed them around the room and then she proceeded to switch off the light. Wow, the place looked amazing. Mysterious and romantic all at the same time, but why? She hadn't even thought about this, she had just done it as if it was as she had intended. Her hands then moved to her head and fluffed up her hair slightly. It felt nice. She caught sight of herself in the mirror. For once, even to herself, she looked pretty good. She put on some music, 'gothic love songs'. She hadn't listened to it for ages, seen as love always seemed to depress her. She then had the urge to lay on the couch, so she did. Her movements didn't even feel like her own anymore, she felt as if she was just observing. She heard James returning with the drinks.

The phone buzzed like an angry bee in Vlad's pocket. He took it out, expecting it to be Ophelia; he couldn't help the touch of disappointment as he read the caller ID.

"Hi Aiden." He answered, trying to sound happy, but failing miserably.

"Hey Vlad, you busy?" Aiden asked.

"No. Ophelia's gone out for a bit, why?"

"Need your help. Up for a bit of fun?" He could hear the smile in Aiden's voice. Vlad didn't like the sound of that.

"Um – what kind of fun?"

"Dude, I have a girlfriend. I'm not gay." He could practically hear Aiden's grimace, "We're playing match-maker tonight. I need your vampire help. Up to it?"

"I suppose. I'll be there in a minute." Vlad sighed.

"Thanks, man. Meet me at Jezebel's house." Vlad was about to protest but Aiden cut him off, "Nothing bad, man, I swear, just meet me there" Then Aiden hung up.

The run to Jezebel's house wasn't far, so it didn't take long and with his vampire speed he was there in mere minutes. Seen, as it was dark he was less likely to be noticed. Aiden was waiting for him at the bottom of Jezebel's driveway.

"Follow me." Was all he said. Aiden the led the way to Jezebel's bedroom window and crouched out of sight.

"What the hell are you doing?" Vlad hissed.

"Shh. Get down!" Aiden said grabbing his arm and yanking him down to his level.

"Aiden, what are we doing?" Vlad whispered, slightly panicked. What the hell would Jezebel think if she saw them outside her window like a couple of perverts.

"We're playing match-maker." Aiden whispered back, taking a peek into the window.

"What do you mean?" Vlad asked in his normal voice. Aiden's hand clamped down over his mouth to stop his saying anymore.

"Shh. Do you want us to get caught?" Aiden whispered, "What I mean is, James loves Jezebel, Jezebel loves James. I think it's only fair that since we've all got who we want, they should."

_What's that got to do with us?_ Vlad projected the words into Aiden's mind. Aiden shuddered slightly.

"I hate it when you do that," He muttered, "James and Jezebel aren't all too good at showing their love. I've talked with both of them. Both think the other doesn't like them in that way, but they do. So now we're helping them."

Vlad moved Aiden's hand away from his mouth, he smelt a lot like wet dog to him. Not a very pleasant smell but was also aware that he mustn't smell that nice to Aiden either so didn't bring up the subject.

"So what exactly are we going to do? How can we help?" Vlad whispered, just so he didn't have the risk of a dog paw over his mouth again.

"Well that's why I asked you to come with me. I kinda need your vampire mind control thing." He looked rather uncomfortable.

"No. I refuse to control Jezebel or James, they're my friends."

"They'll never get it together otherwise. Come on, Jezebel needs him right now and he's needed her since he met her. You're doing them a favour."

Vlad thought for a moment, that was a true statement and a very compelling argument, but; "How do you expect me to control, Jezebel?"

Aiden blinked at him in confusion.

"She's got a warped mind, it's hard enough to read it, let alone control it."

"Well just try. Let yourself go, feel the vibes and all that shit." Aiden grimaced. "Shh! She's here." He hissed as he glanced through the bedroom window. "Right, control her."

Vlad sighed and closed his eyes to concentrate. He reached out with his own mind, straight away his mind found someone frustrated and mulling over past things. _Why can't I just tell her I like her? Maybe if I'm lucky she might not laugh at me. The worst she can do is say no _– Vlad got straight out, it was James's mind. Poor guy, well now Vlad was determined to help him. He reached out again and this time got hit with waves upon waves of different emotions. Jezebel. Her thoughts were too messed around to read. Right, he was in her head now. He caught snippets of stray thoughts. _I think I'm in love with him. God, I'm so ugly, ugh. I wonder what would happen if I tried to teach the cat to swim. Did I put the towels away? _Wow, he'd never got anything like that from her mind before, he must have a good connection now, all there was to do now was to take over. He did it quite successfully.

"I've got her." He said to Aiden.

"Right well now its safe to look in." They both stood up and looked in the window. Jezebel was stood staring with an odd calmness at the mirror, her face void of any emotion. "Good job," Aiden commented. Vlad gave him a dirty look. "Right," Aiden continued as if this was a normal everyday situation, "Find something sexy for her to wear."

They finally decided upon a short, silky black nightgown.

"Right now what?" Vlad asked.

"Living room, romantic atmosphere." Aiden said, and then ran round to the living room window. Vlad put the command in her head, simple enough to follow, and then met Aiden at the living room window. They watched as she wandered in, looking sexy in her nightgown and lit scented candles and placed them around the room, and then she turned off the main light. There was enough light from the candles to give the room a dull, yet romantic glow.

"There's something missing here still." Aiden pondered for a moment.

"How about this?" Vlad said. Jezebel ran her fingers quickly through her hair and fluffed it out. It looked adorable.

"Good. Your learning fast." Aiden and Vlad smirked at each other. "Music." Aiden then said. Vlad obeyed and made Jezebel put on some music. Then he laid her down on the couch to wait for James.

All three of them, Aiden, Jezebel and Vlad all glanced at James as he walked in the room. He walked past her, with two drinks, not glancing at her, but concentrating on the cups. Aiden and Vlad both grimaced. James then proceeded to sit in the chair diagonal to the couch. Once he sat down, that's when he really saw her. His jaw dropped open slightly. Vlad could sense Jezebel's embarrassment and tried to drown the emotion with confidence, but Jezebel's mind was an awkward one. James didn't say anything, he didn't do anything, all he did was stare at her.

"Come on, James. Do something." Aiden breathed. More to himself than anyone else. They didn't want to give the game away. Alas, James didn't make a move. "What's he waiting for?" Aiden asked Vlad.

"You want me to read James's mind whilst still trying to control Jezebel?" Vlad looked at him incredulously. Aiden nodded. "You're insane." Vlad muttered but tried anyway and somehow succeeded. "He's scared and confused as to what to do. He doesn't know if she's just trying to get over Casper or if she actually wants him. He thinks it's the Casper option." Vlad explained.

"Fuck sake." Aiden breathed. A livelier song came on the stereo. Aiden's eyes flashed with inspiration. "Make her dance."

"What?"

"You heard, make her dance for James."

Vlad raised his eyebrows in question, but did as he was told.

Jezebel felt herself get up off the couch and wondered where she was going to go now. She walked to the stereo and put on a different disc. Personal Jesus by Marilyn Manson started playing. Her hips started to sway against her will. When the music kicked in properly her arms left her hips and travelled up her body until they were above her head. She closed her eyes and let her whole body sway with the music. She found herself from that point doing a range of dance moves, so demanding and so sexy, she would never had dreamed she could do them with such ease. Her eyes locked with James's for only a moment and her embarrassment flooded back. What was she doing? She looked away, but as soon as she did the music started to take over again and her body moved with it. James hadn't moved the whole time she'd been dancing. It was a little unsettling that he was just sat there watching her make a fool of herself. As if the thought had compelled her, she moved towards him and held out her hands for his. He looked at her properly now, confusion in his eyes, but he gave her his hands. She pulled him up out of the chair and into the centre of the room; she avoided eye contact the whole way. Her body was out of control, literally. There was nothing she could do. She started to sway again in front of him, as if expecting him to join in. When he didn't, she reached out and placed his hands on her hips. His hands were warm, even through her nightgown. It felt good, but he probably didn't want this. What was her body doing? Who was doing this to her? It certainly wasn't herself. This time he started to sway with her, only slightly, but noticeably. She felt a rush of confidence as he did; he wasn't thinking she was a total fool if he was joining in. Disposable teens was the next song on and they kept dancing. James, not moving much, his hands staying where she put them and only slight swaying. Jezebel was now enjoying herself a lot whilst dancing in front of James. She turned around and got a bit more daring with her dance moves.

"Why isn't he doing anything?" Aiden asked.

"He is, he's swaying at least." Vlad commented.

Disposable teens came on and Vlad tapped his foot to the rhythm, he liked this song.

"That's not what I'd be doing." Aiden huffed, "If a beautiful girl like that was dancing in front of me, with the sort of moves you've been making her do I'd at least join in a bit more than swaying. I'd at least move my hands." He rolled his eyes, "He's just stood there like a melon."

"Yeah well – " Vlad cut off as he saw Jezebel turn around so her back was to James and wrap her arms around his neck and continue to sway.

"Woah, nice one, man." Aiden almost laughed, "That'll get him going."

"I didn't do that." Vlad admitted still staring at her, "I lost my concentration when the song came on."

Aiden looked back to her, eyes wide with shock. "Well she beats you with dance moves, hands down."

"I thought mine were rather good, actually."

"If you say so, man." Aiden smirked.

Aiden and Vlad watched while James and Jezebel danced together. James seemed lost and scared but yet happy to be where he was. He was still thinking that she was just using him. The next song came on. It was Smother me by The Used. Quite a slow song, the type of song that required a slow dance. Jezebel turned towards James. Both of them seemed just as scared as the other one. Vlad was about to control Jezebel's mind again when James reached out, placed a hand on her waist and took her hand in his other one. Jezebel looked just as shocked as Vlad and Aiden felt. Jezebel put her free hand on his shoulder and they began to sway to the music, moving in small baby steps, as that was all they dared move in.

"I think our work here is done." Vlad smiled. It was nice to see Jezebel happy; she'd had such a hard time since all this started. This had been pretty much the first time she could relax with someone she loved. Not on edge at the thought of getting caught.

"We should stay a bit longer, make sure everything stays ok." Aiden suggested, Vlad nodded in agreement, it was a good idea. Wouldn't like to ruin a perfect evening. He was missing Ophelia though; on that thought he checked his phone. No missed calls. Not even a message. That wasn't like her; she must be waiting at home. Aiden's phone started to ring, the song The Howling by Within Temptation. He cursed, grabbed and quickly answered it.

"Hello?" He whispered.

"Where the hell are you?" Vlad heard Nicole's angry voice some down the receiver.

"Out with Vlad."

"When are you coming home?"

"Dunno."

"Aiden!"

"Chill, lass. I'll be home soon." Aiden was fighting to keep his cool.

"Better be." With that, she hung up.

"Women!" Aiden hissed as he shoved his phone back in his pocket. "I swear I'd have killed her by now if I didn't love her so much." He said more to himself than Vlad, and then turned his attention back to the window.

Vlad chuckled and looked back at James and Jezebel.

**Chapter 7**

Jezebel looked up into James's amber eyes. He was mouthing the words to the song as they danced. This was just magical. She actually got a spark of hope that he liked her and there was no negative thoughts now to kill it. Well there wasn't yet anyway. She was quite aware that the song was going to end soon and that would be the end of the CD and also the end of this lovely night.

_Just do it now, go on, she likes you, do it_. James told himself, but he couldn't make himself move. This was typical, something good and he didn't have the guts to take it. _She wants it_, a familiar voice intruded into his mind, _kiss her already_.

He didn't argue with the voice, but there was a problem. He'd never kissed anyone before, not like that anyway. How was he supposed to know what to do?

_Gotta do it at some point, practice makes perfect_. The voice came in again. It was a little disturbing to have someone talking in your head other than yourself. His eyes locked with Jezebel's in, what seemed to be, an endless moment. Then he leant his head forward as if to kiss her, but he chickened out half way and pulled back again. Amazingly Jezebel had moved toward him as well. He saw hurt flash across her face but it was gone in a second and replaced with a smile. He'd hurt her. He'd seen it. She'd tried to cover it up but it hadn't worked.

_You just rejected her a kiss, if course she's going to feel a little hurt_, Vlad's voice was there again, it was getting annoying now. _Kiss her_.

He pulled up all the courage he had and braced himself for rejection and humiliation. Then he leant in and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm against his. It was awkward for him at first because he didn't know what to do, but Jezebel soon showed him. They stood enjoying the moment for what seemed like eternity.

A knock at the door interrupted them. James was, amazingly, the first to pull away and even that he did with reluctance.

"I'm gonna – um – go get the door." He mumbled then left the room at his fastest walk. Leaving Jezebel staring after him. He steadied himself on the wall when he got into the hallway. That was – different. Pleasurable, but strange. As his skin touched hers he felt a hunger, a hunger he should not have felt, a hunger he was now feeling guilty for. Even werewolves had a problem being around humans as they still were a source of food for them. Pushing them thoughts aside, he used his new supernatural speed to get to the door faster.

Nicole was stood on the other side, looking less than amused when he opened it.

"Yes?" He asked a little agitated, when she said nothing.

"Is Aiden here?" She asked, with anger dominant in her voice.

"No." James said then started to close the door, not in the mood for her attitude.

"Hey! Wait!" She pushed back on the door, taking James off guard. He quickly recovered and only staggered back a couple of steps. "I'm checking the house." She said then she just walked in. James just stared after her, struck with shock. He honestly hadn't expected that.

Jezebel came round the corner and down the hallway toward James. She had put on a floor length satin dressing gown that covered everything except her head and neck, a shame really. He couldn't help how his eyes scanned over the way the satin fell over her curves, emphasising them.

James shut the door as he realised how cold it must be for Jezebel with it open.

"What is she doing?" Jezebel whispered as she reached him. Nicole was on a warpath around their house, well Jezebel's house that he happened to live in.

"Looking for Aiden." James answered grimly. Jezebel grimaced. She spun away from him and marched toward Nicole. She then proceeded to grab her, ignoring Nicole's protests and took her into the other room. James used his sensitive hearing to pick up on Jezebel's harsh whispers. She was telling Nicole exactly what she'd interrupted and Nicole actually seemed very sorry about it.

After a few minutes then both emerged, Jezebel said goodbye to Nicole and then went to her room.

Vlad walked back through his front door. He heard the television on in the living room, very relieved that Ophelia was back. He wondered if he'd be in trouble for being out when she got back.

"Hello brother." Jasper said. He was stood in the doorway to the living room.

"You're here!" Vlad pretty much attacked his brother for a hug, he was sure something had happened to them when the take over had happened. "How did you find me?"

"You're our brother, we know your mind as well as our own." Angel said, flitting over and hugging him. Jasper didn't seem all that happy when Vlad looked over, and Angel had lost some of her usual bubbliness.

"What's going on?" Vlad asked, he tried to venture into their minds but they had their guards up. The atmosphere of the room dropped rapidly to an ice cold. If he hadn't have already been dead, Vlad would have shivered. Something was wrong, something was very wrong.

"There was a phone call – while you were out." Angel began but couldn't seem to find the words. She turned pleadingly to Jasper who nodded and took over.

"There has been – an accident." He said, "Your soulmate was involved. They requested you to go see her, but you weren't here."

Vlad just stared at his brother, with what felt like ice crystals in his stomach.

"And you didn't come and find me?" Vlad said through his teeth, this wasn't his brother's fault but he was so angry with himself.

"There was no point, we got the call a few minutes ago and you were on your way back by then." Jasper stepped toward him and put a hand on his shoulder, Vlad shrugged it off. "Leo went to see if she was ok, she's bringing her back here."

"Shouldn't she go to the hospital?" Vlad asked.

"She has already been, that is where Leo is picking her up from." Jasper looked away from him, "They've done all they can do."

"What do you mean by that?" Vlad's eyes widened, that meant something was very, _very_ wrong. Jasper caught his arm as he tried to run away.

"Wait for Leo to get back." Was all Jasper said, and then he released Vlad and went to sit in the living room. This time he didn't think it was wise to argue with Jasper, he was serious and actually cared.

The long minutes passed, Vlad spent every second of them worrying. No one spoke, there was nothing to say, nothing to do, but wait. Everyone, even Jasper, jumped when his phone started to ring. Jasper answered it. The conversation was quick, no 'hello's, no 'goodbye's, just 'ok'.

"We have to go to the hospital." Jasper said and that was all it took. Vlad was off before anyone could even respond.

"Sir, visiting hours are over." The nurse pleaded, trying to bring Vlad to a halt, but he marched persistently down the halls. Keeping his speed in check, with great difficulty.

"Sir! Please!" The nurse said again. "I'm going to call security."

Vlad side-stepped around her as she tried to get in his way once more.

"Sir!" She was angry now.

"What seems to be the problem, nurse?" a doctor stepped in both their ways. Vlad stopped this time. The doctor was a young one, he had straggly black hair and a surgeons mask on. His eyes were blue, but a weird sort of blue. A shade Vlad had never seen, they didn't seem to match his face but that wasn't important. The doctor wasn't human, Vlad wasn't sure what he was, he was pretty sure the doctor was a vampire but the emotions were probably messing with his head. Either way, this doctor could throw him out, if he so wanted.

"It's past visiting hours." The nurse said, quite shyly. Vlad didn't even have to look into her mind to know she liked him. Apparently this new doctor was the gossip of the hospital, every female nurse who passed them, even female patients glanced at him and liked him.

"Please, my girlfriend. She's been in an accident, I just want to see her." Vlad made himself not plead.

The doctor looked at him, then turned to the nurse, "I'll take it from here."

Amazingly the nurse didn't try argue, she just turned away.

"So, who are you looking for?" The doctor asked, "Doctor Jones, by the way." He held out his and Vlad shook it.

"Vlad." He responded, "I'm looking for Ophelia Kandyll."

"Ah, one of the witch sisters. Follow me, I know where she is."

Vlad felt very uncomfortable as they walked down the corridors and around the building. This wasn't just a human hospital anymore, anyone could get treated here.

Finally they entered a ward, it was empty apart from the end bed which had the curtains drawn around it. Vlad wanted so much to race ahead and see her, but didn't, he kept walking at human pace behind Dr. Jones. Vlad was dreading the worst, she can't have died on him. She just couldn't. He'd only just got her, she couldn't leave him so soon. Dr. Jones, slowly pulled back the bed curtain. Vlad stood at the end of the bed, his fists clenched at his sides, holding tears in. Ophelia lay in the bed, her black hair spilling out over the pillow, her forehead and eyes covered by bandages and white gauze running down the left hand side of her face and body. There were scrapes and bruises on the uncovered skin, but what Vlad wanted to know was what was under the gauze. His hands gripped the end of the bed, his fingers gripping so hard to the railing that it moulded to the shape of his fingers. "What happened?" He asked through his teeth. He closed his eyes and turned his head away from her, he couldn't stand to see her this way.

"She was attacked. By who, we don't know. But they threw acid over her and it was a very good shot. There was nothing she could have done." Doctor Jones looked down at Ophelia with sympathy, "Her flesh was already badly burned when she was brought here, there wasn't a lot we could do. She's stable now and the wounds should heal. But I'm afraid she won't be able to see."

Vlad felt a tear leave his eye, why would someone do this to her?

"I'll leave you two alone, I'll get a nurse to bring you a chair." Doctor Jones said. The left. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later a nurse entered with a folding chair. Vlad thanked her, although she didn't pay attention and sat by Ophelia's side. He took her pale hand in his. His skin was paler than hers still, although if she got any paler she'd be rivalling him. That wasn't good, he was dead, she was alive, there should be a bigger difference than this in their skin colours.

"Is she ok?" Jasper asked from behind him. If he hadn't been so drained of emotion, Vlad would have jumped.

"She's blind." Vlad said quietly.

Angel flitted to Ophelia's other side, Vlad's eyes widened and he started to reach for Angel.

"I'm in control, brother." Angel said, moving out of his reach, "She will be my sister-in-law soon, I'm allowed to care about her." Angel's bluntness about the fact took him a little off-guard, but he didn't argue. He kept a watchful eye on his sister as she stood on Ophelia's other side, stroking her hair. "She's very pretty."

"She's in bandages, Angel." Jasper grimaced.

"Then she must be gorgeous without them." Angel said, sticking her tongue out at her brother. Vlad chuckled slightly and brushed his free hand against Ophelia's other cheek, avoiding bruises and scrapes.

Ophelia started to stir. Vlad, who had just got up for a drink, quickly flitted back to her side. His hand touched hers and she gasped.

"Shh. I'm here. It's ok." He said soothingly.

"Vlad?" She whimpered.

"Yes, my love, I'm here."

"I can't open my eyes. Why can't I open my eyes?" She was a little panicked.

Vlad felt a touch of guilt, he'd have to tell her. He wondered how she was going to take the news. "Vlad, where am I? What's happening?" She was sobbing now. That couldn't be good for her eyes.

"You're in the hospital." He thought it was best to get it out of the way now. His heart felt her sorrow, she was going to hate him for telling her this, "You were attacked. Someone threw acid on you. You won't be able to see at all, Ophelia. I'm sorry."

"Oh." She quietened right down, "do I look bad?"

"No, you look beautiful and always will do, no matter what." Vlad kissed the back of her hand.

"I wish that was true." She whispered, more to herself that him.

"It is. You will always be beautiful to me."

She attempted what looked like a smile.

"Ophelia." Vlad began nervously, he didn't know how or even if he should ask this, but he had to know. "Who did this to you? Do you remember who it was?"

Ophelia lay in thought for a minute, the bandages on her forehead creased slightly as she frowned. "It's ok if you can't remember, or if you don't want to talk about it." Vlad continued, feeling it might be too painful for Ophelia to think about.

"No I'll talk. I'm just trying to remember." She said.

"Well, run me through what you remember happening." He prompted.

"Well, I got a call to go help out a – " She sat up, as far as her injuries allowed her to, "Oh my god, I left it there. It needs help! I need to go right now!"

Vlad pushed her back down as gently as he could and steered clear of her injuries.

"No, you need rest, keep going." He said calmly.

"I was helping it, they're a dying species, nearly extinct and it'd somehow come through a portal. It was only a baby. It's injured. I was knelt bandaging up its leg when I heard someone move behind me." She paused.

"What exactly is _it_?"

"A dragon."

"Please tell me you're joking,"

She shook her head.

"But they went extinct in Sacran years ago."

"No, people we're told that, so they would stop hunting them."

Vlad shook his head disbelievingly but didn't say anything else about it, "Anyway carry on. Who was behind you?"

"I don't think I know him. He wanted the dragon and I wouldn't let him have it. So he took something out of his pocket and threw it, I turned away as it hit my eyes and the rest hit my side. Next thing I remember is waking up here."

"Do you remember what he looked like?"

"Insane."

"More of a description than that please, dear."

"Well, he had kind of messy hair. I think it was blond but I couldn't really tell, it was dark. But his eyes, I will never forget them." She now seemed distant, "they were glowing purple, and they seemed so empty, so dead, like he had nothing left to live for."

"Casper?" Vlad's eyes widened, "Shit. Casper's out."

"Shouldn't you go home before the sun rises?" Ophelia seemed urgent now.

"I don't want to leave you." He gripped her hand a bit tighter. Not wanting to let go.

"I'll be fine, please go home." When he didn't move she continued, "Please, for me?"

"I will see you tomorrow night." He stood up, leant over and kissed her gently on the cheek. It felt like his heart was being torn out as he let go of her hand but he did and left the room without looking back, because he knew if he did he wouldn't be able to leave her.

He passed Dr Jones as he left.

"Going so soon?" He asked.

"Um, yeah. Suns rising soon."

"Ah, of course." Dr Jones nodded without looking up for his clipboard, "I will expect that we'll see you tomorrow night then?"

"Yeah," Vlad was about to turn away when another thought struck him, "Hey, if a guy come in here with long blonde hair and purple eyes and asks to see Ophelia will you please not let him."

Dr Jones frowned at him for a minute then nodded, "Ok. See you tomorrow."

"See ya."

Vlad had the most peculiar feeling as he left. There was something off about Dr Jones. He had been so nice though, which was what made it so strange. He was probably just being silly, a lot had happened tonight and he was just imagining things. But he couldn't help the feeling. It bothered him all the way home.

**Chapter 8**

Jezebel woke up feeling the strain of the evening lifted. Sun broke through the crack between the curtains. She sat up, stretched then got out of bed. She threw the curtains back and light flooded into the room. The warm glow made her feel all tingly inside. She had nothing to do that was important today. _Chill day_, she thought happily. Then she smiled wider, _chill day with James_. She wondered whether he was awake yet. He'd slept on the couch last night. She donned her dressing gown and breezed into the living room. Her mood faded as she saw the sheets piled up on the chair and the living room empty, there was a note on the fireplace. She read it.

Dear Jezebel,

Gone out for a bit. I will be home tonight. Aiden is taking me on my first hunt. Should be interesting. I will stop at the shops on the way back and pick up some things for the house.

See you tonight.

I love you

She smiled at the last three words. "I love you too." She said, even though he couldn't hear her. Well, a chill day on her own could be good too. Luna hopped up on the couch beside her and meowed for her attention.

"What is it, baby?" Jezebel asked her, placing the note behind the clock for safekeeping.

Luna meowed again.

"You know, I don't speak cat." Jezebel rolled her eyes, but was still smiling, "You hungry?"

Luna meowed and nodded her head. Jezebel stared at her for a minute; she'd never nodded her head before. That was a pretty much human answer.

"Aren't you getting clever," Jezebel commented then went and filled that cat's food bowl.

She tidied the whole house and made it spotless, and then she went out and did some gardening. It had been so long since she'd had time to do anything like this. It felt good to be free again.

The sun was nice and warm for once in Britain, so she took the time to put her bikini top on with a short skirt and lay on her grass in the sun. She couldn't help but think of James. He was so perfect for her. She finally had someone who was going to love her, someone who wouldn't beat her and abuse her as Charlie had. Someone, who she didn't have to worry about them sucking her blood if they got too hungry. Someone she could play outside in the sun with. She loved the sun today, she couldn't imagine being a vampire and being away from this. Of course she couldn't be out in it too long, with her fair skin she would burn. She never tanned; she always burned then went back to pale.

A shadow suddenly blocked her sun. She opened her eyes, but as soon as she did, the shadow was gone and she had to squint against the sun. _Well that was weird_, she thought, then closed her eyes to enjoy the sun.

After she'd been in the sun long enough she went back inside. She didn't bother to change again, she was quite ok wearing her bikini top and mini skirt. Both block obviously. Her hair was growing long again, so she decided to tie it back in a single ponytail. She switched the music on in the kitchen, 'Avenged sevenfold' started playing and she started singing along as she made herself a sandwich for dinner. She then had to switch the music off, she waited until the end of the song then switched it off. She put her sandwich on a plate and then proceeded to the living room. She walked down the hallway. She looked up into the mirror as she walked and screamed, stopping in her tracks and in her terror dropping the plate, which smashed at her feet. Casper was stood at the doorway to her kitchen, his hair scruffy as always, his eyes manic but subdued. He was wearing a thick black sweater and old torn jeans and trainers. His face was black in places where he'd been burned. She glanced down as she felt something trickle down her foot, it was blood. The plate had cut her as it smashed. After looking up into the mirror again she saw that she was alone.

She breathed a sigh of relief but her heart was still going a mile a minute. She was just being silly. This was a shock reaction to finding out he wanted to kill her. Casper was securely locked up in a cell in the nut house.

She jumped as her house phone started to ring, then scolded herself for being so stupid. Suddenly it cut out, no power. Everything in the house had no power. Right, this was starting to get scary. She went into her room, only to find her mobile wasn't where she'd left it. It wasn't anywhere she discovered after thoroughly checking the house. Her bike keys however were still there. Feeling trapped and scared in the house she decided to go for a ride. A good long ride would clear things up and make her feel better. She put on her leathers and her helmet and set off on her bike after locking the door. It felt good to be out on her bike again. She hit the motorway and decided to take it up a notch. She was a skilled rider and could handle high speeds. Her bike started to wobble beneath her and was making a weird clanking sound. That was bad, she couldn't stop right now. Something fell off, she was going too fast to see what it was. _Oh shit_, she thought. As it was the only thing she could do. She pressed on the brakes, trying to vere to the side, the brakes weren't working. There was no response as she pressed it down. Someone had disabled her breaks. Something else fell off of her bike. Someone had sabotaged her bike. _Clank_, another thing gone. Her bike was falling apart beneath her, literally and worst of all she couldn't stop. Then her front wheel went and the sudden friction on the road, threw her forward over the handlebars. Her helmet hit the ground first. She rolled on her side, still going at incredible speed, but slowing down. She relaxed her body, so there was less risk of breaking bones. Suddenly she felt enormous pressure and pain, her bike came crashing down on her and was gone the next second, and was way ahead of her. She came to a stop and just lay there, she couldn't do anything else. She was in so much pain; that could have killed her. She turned her head slightly, even that was painful. Her bike was laying in ruins just down the road. _My poor bike_, she thought as she looked at it. A car pulled up and someone came rushing out of it.

"Jesus, are you alright?" The person said, Jezebel couldn't see who it was, she wasn't sure she knew them anyway. She turned her head again, it was a woman just a little older than herself. She was wearing a suit and was either going to or coming home from work.

"Yes I'm fine." Jezebel tried to say, but she couldn't. It came out as y – m – ne.

"Would you like me to call an ambulance?"

Jezebel tried to nod, but couldn't. So she moved her hand and gave a thumbs up. The woman nodded and proceeded to call the ambulance.

A few hours later she was laying on the hospital bed. The ward was empty, which was strange. There was only one bed occupied besides hers and that was the one next to her. But the curtains were drawn around both hers and that persons bed.

After drifting off into a fitful sleep she awoke to the sounds of alarmed doctors, shouting things to each other, and the squeak of bed wheels as someone else was wheeled into the ward. They soon stabilised the person and the ward was quiet again. Jezebel found herself drifting to sleep again. In her dreams she was walking along the hospital corridors, they were dark and people were asleep in each of the wards, she was still wearing her hospital gown but she was limping from her injuries and she felt the pain as she walked. Suddenly hands came out of the darkness ahead of her and grabbed at her throat, she tried to scream but there was no noise. She was suffocating. She opened her eyes, but the dream continued. A shadow was looming over her, its hands tight around her throat, choking her. A white haze started at the sides of her eyes and seemed to close over the figure, then it began to fade to darkness, she was dying.

She was vaguely aware of the ward doors squeaking open, fortunately so was the figure and it was gone with no trace. She gasped, taking precious air into her lungs. Her neck stung with the impossible strength the person had been applying, they were supernatural, no doubt about it. So why didn't they just snap her neck? Then the answer came all too clear. They wanted her to suffer. She had no awareness of what time it was, she had no way to contact anyone, and she felt so alone and scared. She could go to the reception and ask if they could let her use the phone, but she was too scared to get up. What she'd experienced was too much. Her nerves were on edge, if anything else happened, regardless of what it was, she'd die of a heart attack. Some part of her mind was telling her it was just a hallucination, brought on by her current state.

Finally she managed to drift off to sleep again.

"Wake up, Miss Kandyll. You have a visitor." Jezebel heard a nurse say as she began to awaken.

"Oh." She said as she slowly opened her eyes, only to squint again the bright hospital light until her eyes adjusted to it. The curtains were off around all the beds, that's when Jezebel realised that the nurse wasn't talking to her, she was talking to Ophelia.

She stared at Ophelia's injuries, "Ophelia what happened?" Ophelia's head turned, both her eyes were covered in bandages.

"I had a little accident with some acid. I'm blind." It was a simple fact, she even tried to make it sound light, as if she didn't mind really.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault." She smiled with the side of her mouth that was uncovered. "So you're here to visit me?"

"Oh…no" Jezebel felt a little guilty for not visiting her sister, she then felt guilty for not knowing her sister was in hospital. "I'm here because my bike decided to fall apart on the motorway at high speed."

"Oh dear, are you ok?" Ophelia was genuinely concerned and tried to sit up but couldn't.

"I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"Who's in the other bed?" Ophelia asked, "I heard them come in earlier."

Jezebel turned around, it was painful but she managed it. She soon regretted turning around. There was a girl laying in the bed next to her, she was drip white, with a stitched up wound running down her cheek, the girls leg was bandaged up, with a lot of pressure pads to stop, what looked like, a huge wound from bleeding. There were scratch marks running over the other side of her face. The kind a dog's claws would make. Her hospital gown bulged slightly and Jezebel suspected there were bandages underneath there too. The girl was badly beaten, and worst of all. It was Chalice.

"Chalice?" Jezebel could hardly breathe, "Chalice?"

Chalice opened her eyes slightly and gave a weak smile, "Hey sis, fancy seeing you here."

"What happened?" Jezebel could only stare.

"Doggies didn't wanna play fetch."

"What?" Jezebel asked confused.

"Got attacked by werewolves." She rolled her eyes, "Lucky to be alive really."

"Isn't it strange how we all end up in hospital at the same time and we're alone on a ward of our own." Ophelia's voice sounded distant.

"Ophelia's in here too?" Chalice tried to lift herself up, but it caused her too much pain and she fell back onto the bed, which also caused her pain.

"She's blind." Jezebel mouthed sadly to Chalice. Chalice's eyes widened, then dulled with sympathy, but the last thing Ophelia would want would be sympathy.

Vlad came through the ward doors, he stopped instantly at the sight of all three of them.

"What the hell happened?" He asked, glancing between them in turn.

Jezebel was the most able to speak, so she did, "I had a motorcycle accident and Chalice was attacked by wolves," Vlad stared at them, then moved to Ophelia's side, leaning over and kissing her on the un-bandaged cheek. He then sat on the chair set out for him at her side. They talked quietly to each other.

Not long later James came through the doors, his expression panicked, the expression softened as he saw her. He was instantly at her side, not caring about controlling his werewolf speed. He kissed her, obviously not caring who saw and not controlling himself. The shy James she knew would never have had the guts to do this. She could feel Chalice's and Vlad's gaze on her, but she didn't care. She kissed him back until he finally pulled away. His cheeks flushed with colour, his eyes blazing, "Sorry." He muttered.

"Don't be." She smiled.

"I was just so worried about you." His eyes glanced over her body, analysing her injuries. "What happened?"

"Bike accident."

"I swear I'm going to get rid of that bike."

"Touch my bike, yeah, and I'll rip you apart."

He chuckled at her seriousness and said, "I think I'd enjoy that."

Chalice sniggered at her side and turned over to give them privacy.

After a long visit the boys were kicked out.

"Where have you been anyway?" Ophelia asked Chalice. Before Chalice could answer the doors swung open again. Wayne, the werewolf king, walked in, he made no eye contact with anyone but Chalice. Wayne reached her, aware that Jezebel was watching him. She was expecting him to kill them all but instead; He put his hands on either side of Chalice, leant forward and kissed her head. Jezebel's jaw dropped open.

"I promise you I will find the people who did this." He said, then kissed her again and exited. Chalice couldn't help the smug smile that crept across her face.

"What was that about?" Jezebel finally asked after recovering.

"We're, kind of ,together," She replied.

"I can see that much." Jezebel rolled her eyes.

Chalice pulled a face at her and turned away. After a few moments she turned back looking worried.

"Jez, I can tell you anything, right?"

"Yeah, why? What's up?" Jezebel propped herself up on her elbows.

"I'm kind of – " Chalice paused.

"Go on," Jezebel prompted when she stayed silent.

"Well – um – " Chalice bit her lip.

"Chalice, it's me you can tell me anything."

"I'm kind of pregnant,"

Jezebel stared at her, then down to her bulge. That she had once thought were bandages.

"Don't worry, she survived." Chalice said, rubbing her bump.

"_She_?" Jezebel looked incredulous. "Is it – _his_?" She was referring to Wayne.

"Yes. Of course it is!" Chalice looked offended.

Silence descended after that, the girls laying in silence lost in their thoughts and all very much in pain. Two hours passed and no one talked.

A loud bang from outside the ward startled them all.

"What was that?" Ophelia whispered from the other side of them. They lay in silence after that, listening to the commotion outside the door. There was a scream, but it was cut off in a gargle. Then there was only the sound of echoing footfalls. They were approaching. Chalice grabbed her phone from under the blanket where she'd been hiding it and dialled a number. The ward doors swung open before she could put it to her ear. Which was good seen as it was Doctor Jones. Chalice and Jezebel breathed a sigh of relief, he would get them out of there. Chalice was about to close her phone and end the call when Dr. Jones suddenly changed completely. The friendly doctor warmth was gone from him. A cold air descended upon the room, so heavy it was almost suffocating.

"Hello girls." He said. His voice had changed, it was so familiar. Chalices looked over at Jezebel, and then back to the doctor.

"You know, you can get done for impersonating a doctor." She commented, but he usual kick was gone. She was too injured and probably too worried about the safety of her baby. Jezebel swung her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet. It was so painful that she nearly fell over, but she stayed on her feet for the sake of her sisters. She turned to face the doctor who simply smiled, not a nice smile, not a welcoming smile but a sinister one.

"Just the person I wanted to see." He was suddenly in front of her. "All these times I could have killed you. I hoped I would have the opportunity to do it properly soon."

Jezebel stared up into his cruel eyes, frozen with fear. Casper.

He brushed her hair behind her ear, almost a sign of affection, "You see, I want you to die, slowly and painfully. I want to watch the life leave your eyes and I will savour every moment of it." He smiled again this time showing fangs.

A red bolt flew across the room, hitting Casper dead in the side of the stomach, he was knocked to the side, falling on to the bed beside him. Jezebel looked to the source of the bolt and saw Chalice holding out her hands as if she was clasping a small ball, but her hands were empty.

"Where did you learn that?" Jezebel asked, staring.

"Picked up a few things from, Annie." She tried to smile, but was in pain.

"Annie?" But there was no time, Casper was recovering, It'd be a few minutes before the stunning wore off but that still wasn't a lot of time. "Can you walk?" Jezebel asked Chalice quickly.

"I can try." She said moving to get out the bed. Jezebel nodded quickly and hobbled round to Ophelia and helped her out of the bed, her left side was weak but she could walk on it. Jezebel guided her around the other bed and got Chalice, together they managed to get though the ward door and a few meters down the corridor. Chalice had to be held up on her bad leg. That was as far as they got, the doors clattered open behind them with such force that they came off their hinges and hit the floor. Casper stormed out and was suddenly in front of them. He went straight for Jezebel who was in the middle of the three. He knocked Ophelia and Chalice to the floor and grabbed Jezebel's throat. He lifted her into the hair, she gasped for air but to no avail. This choking sensation was familiar. Casper must have been the one trying to strangle her when she had been asleep.

"Why can't you just play nice?" He said through his teeth. Then he threw her down hard, her legs buckled with the pain and she fell backwards, hitting her head off the floor, causing even more pain that was already there. "And you!" He turned to Chalice, who was now cowering away, protecting her baby. "How dare you strike me!" Casper's step faltered. He looked down to see Ophelia, blind and injured, holding onto his leg in an attempt to stop him. He kicked her aside harshly.

Barking was suddenly heard from outside. Casper stopped again, his face confused then it turned to white fury. "Why can nothing just go right?" He turned to Jezebel, she thought he was going to kill her, but instead he turned again and ran at his vampire/demon, combined speed and was gone. Wolves burst into the building, following where he had gone, not even bothering with the girls on the floor. They were barking, growling and calling to the others, following Casper.

A grey wolf bounded up to Jezebel, a sudden flash and there sat James. He reached down to her, helping her sit up. "Are you ok?" He asked.

She shook her head and let herself be cradled in his arms. She wasn't ok. Her head hurt, she was in so much pain she just wanted to give in.

**Chapter 9**

"No sign of him since the hospital incident." Vlad commented, checking out of Jezebel's living room window.

"He's somewhere, he's hiding." Jezebel said gloomily, James's arm tightened around her shoulders comfortingly.

They were all gathered at Jezebel's house. James, Jezebel and Chalice sat together on the couch, Nicole sat in the chair next to the couch with Aiden stood restlessly beside her. Ophelia was sat in the chair next to the window, Vlad stood beside her, constantly checking outside.

"It's been a month, surely if he was going to do something he would have by now." Aiden commented, shifting his weight yet again. This was really bothering him, as it was all of them.

"Not necessarily." Vlad replied distantly looking out of the window.

Ophelia turned her head toward him, not seeing him but knowing he was there. Her eyes were now a cloudy white and she saw nothing out of them, the left side of her body was covered in horrible scars, they no longer hurt her but they were a constant reminder of what she'd been through. She wasn't ugly because of the scars, they did little to her physical appearance.

"Please can I go to the bathroom?" Ophelia asked quietly.

"Of course." Vlad replied, turning and helping her to her feet, kissing the scarred side of her face gently. He then led her out of the room. It was quite sad to watch, Ophelia really did want to be independent and it hurt her to be like this but she knew she had no choice.

There was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Nicole said, moving out of the room. Ophelia and Vlad returned, he seated her and went back to watching the window.

Nicole returned, looking very nervous. Wayne followed her. James and Aiden were suddenly down on one knee on the floor with their head bowed. It took Jezebel a few seconds to realize that they were in the presence of their king.

"You may rise." Wayne said, then moved to Chalice. He helped her to her feet and embraced her, not caring who was watching. Everyone except Jezebel gawped at them, Ophelia's gaze was directed to the wall in front of her, not seeing anything.

James looked at Jezebel in question, so did Aiden and Nicole. She just shrugged.

"May I borrow your sister?" Jezebel looked at Wayne, amazed he was actually asking her permission.

"You are a king. Do really need my permission?" She said, then wished she could take it back. Wayne didn't seem to mind.

"You have more power than I do and she is your sister." He smiled, actually _smiled_ at her! She felt herself blush.

"Sure. That's fine." She mumbled, too embarrassed to really speak properly.

Chalice grinned. The pair said their goodbyes and left.

"We should be heading out too." Aiden said, taking Nicole's hand as she got to her feet.

"See you tomorrow. Nicole said, hugging Jezebel, then she turned her attention to James and said seriously, "Take care of her."

"I will," James said, wrapping an arm around Jezebel as if it was reassurance.

"So are you two officially a couple?" Aiden asked.

"No." Jezebel and James said in sudden unison, then they both blushed. Nicole and Aiden smiled and then left.

"Well I guess that's us going too, give you two some private time." Vlad said, and Jezebel saw him smirk. He was reading their minds. He probably know she was thinking about how much she liked James and how she wished to relive the evening that seemed so long ago.

"Jezebel do your dressing gown up a bit more before James loses control of himself." Before turning around. James quickly looked away from Jezebel, blushing harder than ever before. Vlad chuckled. Jezebel looked down to see her dressing gown had fallen open a little at the top, she wrapped it tighter around herself said goodbye to Ophelia and Vlad. She then collapsed on the couch. James seated himself at the other end, still obviously embarrassed. She smiled a little to herself. She really had that affect on him?

God, how she wished she could kiss him right now. She needed to kiss him. She sighed and looked away from temptation. She caught sight of the time.

"Oh crap, I'm late for work." She said getting up and rushing to her bedroom. James was close behind her, but he stayed outside the door when she went in to get dressed.

"You know, I really don't like you working nights." He said, again with the same lecture of how it wasn't safe, "It's really dangerous, especially with Casper out there."

"We need money to pay for things." She said.

"Then let me work."

"No."

"But – "

"I'm not having this discussion now. See you in the morning."

"At least let me know where you work, so I can get to you if there's an emergency."

"How many times have we been through this? No. No. No. No." She said, then walked to the door, "Goodnight, sleep well." Then she left to go to her new job.

Vlad and Ophelia sat in the living room of their house. Vlad was watching TV, he felt guilty every time he did, knowing Ophelia couldn't have this privilege anymore, and she had said she wasn't bothered but he still felt bad. Ophelia eventually fell asleep on him and he carried her up to bed and tucked her in. His phone started ringing downstairs, he flitted down and answered.

"Aiden?" He asked, he hadn't heard from Aiden for a few days, since they'd been gathered at Jezebel's house. Vlad had been starting to worry.

"Boy's night out." Aiden responded cheerfully. "You, me, James."

"Is this the best time?" Vlad asked.

"It'll get our mind off the stress." Aiden sounded kind of desperate, "Please, man, please. I need to get away for a while."

"Fine" Vlad sighed in defeat.

After quite a few drinks they wandered down the streets of the brightly lit town. James had drunk the least of the three of them. The sung songs, way out of key and laughed and joked about in the street. A lot of vampires were out and about in the town, but it was to be expected seen as this was the only time vampires could go out now.

A group of girls on a night out wandered past.

Aiden wolf whistled at them, they giggled and kept on walking, looking back, whispering and smiling to one another. James shook his head.

"What?" Aiden laughed.

"What about Nicole?" James was quite serious.

"Loosen up. I love Nicole. I'm just having a bit of fun." Aiden patted his back. "I know just what you need to chase away the Jezebel blues."

"What?" James was curious now.

"Shh. It's a surprise." Aiden laughed again. James had to laugh with him, Aiden was so drunk.

Vlad laughed too, reading Aiden's thoughts. "Seriously?" He asked.

"Yeah, why not?"

They finally reached their destination. James looked up at the sign, it was read neon writing on a black background. _Crimson Palace_, is what it read.

"What is this place?" James asked.

"Come have a look see." Aiden said, walking straight in. Vlad followed him, then James. As soon as he walked in James wanted to walk back out but Vlad and Aiden dragged him back in.

"No, guys, seriously, I don't want to be here." James said, trying to pull away.

"_Loosen up_." Aiden found them a table closer to the main stage. They sat down in the comfy chairs around the table, James took the chance to glance around them. There was a pole on the centre of every second table, most of the occupied with semi naked dancing girls. There was a bar over the far side, it was packed with people. The main stage was large at the back, then had a thin walkway, a catwalk sort of thing, then I rounded itself at the end and had a pole there too. The stage was currently empty, so he decided to keep his gaze there.

"Wanna drink?" Aiden asked him.

James almost jumped he was so on edge, he didn't like it here. "No I'm fine."

"Do you?" He asked Vlad.

"Yeah sure."

Aiden glanced around. "Where's the damn waitresses when you need 'em?"

"Hey boys." Someone behind Vlad said. They turned to see one of the dancers stood behind them. "Need anything?"

"Yeah, can you get us a waitress?" Aiden replied.

"Sure, I'll send one over in a minute."

"Thanks, sweets."

She winked at Aiden as she left.

"So polite." Vlad commented. Aiden laughed, James just didn't respond. He just wasn't comfortable in this place.

"Come on James. It isn't that bad." Vlad said.

"I not comfortable here." James replied.

"Why not?" Aiden asked.

"Nothing – is appealing to me." He looked embarrassed.

"Seriously? None of these hot babes are doing anything for you?" Aiden looked shocked.

James shook his head.

Vlad and Aiden looked at each other, thinking for a minute then Vlad shrugged. "Just enjoy a drink then. Nothing here for me either, but Aiden's having fun."

James gave a weak laugh.

"Hey gorgeous. What can I get for you?" The waitress was there at the side of Vlad. She was looking down at her notebook, whilst chewing gum, she was expecting an answer. The girl was wearing a bit more than the dancers. She wore a tight black crop top with '_Crimson Palace_' written across it in red. Her pale stomach was showing. She also wore a black frilly mini-skirt and fishnet stockings. The skirt was so short it was showing the suspenders. On her feet she was wearing black high heeled, spiked, platform PVC boots. Her short blonde hair was gelled up in a mass of spikes, on her eyes was heavy black eyeliner and cherry red lip-gloss on her lips. This time James was interested, he stared and stared.

"Jezebel?" Vlad said as he looked up.

Jezebel quickly looked up from her notebook, stopping dead mid-chew.

"Oh – ha, ha – hello." She said nervously, "Fancy seeing you here." She glanced over towards the bar then down at her notebook again, "Anyway what can I get you?"

"Why are you working at a vampire, exotic dancer bar?" Vlad hissed. So no one heard whom ,they didn't want to hear.

"Good money," She said without looking up, "Tell me what I can get you. I'm being watched." She said the last bit quietly.

"Three beers." Aiden said.

Jezebel scribbled it down, "Be right back, gentleman." She said with a smirk and moved away to get the drinks. James watched her go all the way, watching her little behind wiggle as she moved until she was out of sight.

"Seen you've found something that does interest you here." Aiden commented with a smile. James smirked this time. Jezebel returned a short while later with the drinks, she appeared from James's side this time and put the drinks down on the table in front of them. James couldn't help but glance as she bent over to put the drinks down. Vlad saw and had to restrain himself from laughing out loud. Another dancer wandered over to Jezebel.

"Josephine has had to go home. We need you." She said to Jezebel.

"I can't do that. I'm just a waitress." Jezebel looked panicked.

"Yes you can, come on. Boss says. You need to get ready we have two minutes" Then Jezebel was dragged away. James couldn't help but feel a little down that she'd gone.

Vlad's eyes widened then he smiled, then he laughed and turned to James, "You'll like this."

A few moments later and the spotlights turned to the stage. The curtain at the back opened revealing the dancers stood in their set poses behind it. Jezebel was on the right side one away from the middle. She had removed her crop top and mini skirt and was now wearing the same as the dancers. Black thongs and a black lacy bra. The suspenders and stockings were still there, but she was now wearing stilettos. Everyone around them was cheering. Then the music started and the dancers started to dance. James's eyes stayed on Jezebel the whole time. When it was over, everyone cheered and applauded. The dancers came out of the back room and were beckoned by everyone for their own personal dance. A group of guys summoned Jezebel, they were vampires. She did as they asked and got up on their table and danced for them, getting down on her hands and knees to crawl forward and take the money between her teeth that he was holding out. Then as she stood up, she hopped down. The guy spanked her as she moved away, Jezebel looked less than impressed but didn't retaliate. James felt a touch of jealousy that the vampires had got a dance and he hadn't. His gaze shot to Vlad how had been reading his mind all night, as he suspected Vlad summoned Jezebel over. "No. Don't." James said, but Jezebel was already coming over.

"You want it, you got it." Vlad said and then laughed at James's facial expression.

"We want a dance." Vlad said to Jezebel as she got to them.

She looked shocked, "_You_ want a dance?" She looked incredulously at them.

"Yeah."

"Do I have to?" She looked uncomfortable.

"It's your job and we have money." He took a twenty out of his pocket and waved it at her. She took the money, tucking it in her waistband and stepped up on the table. She danced for them. James watched fascinated. He wanted this girl to be his. It was torture to just sit there and watch her. Looking but not touching was killing him.

The dance ended and she stepped down, looking quite embarrassed. She was about to walk away when Aiden called her back. "Hey, hey, hey. Haven't finished with you yet." He said, she turned crossing her arms as if she was irritated, which she probably was. "A lap-dance for my friend James, here." He held out a twenty he'd taken from his pocket. Vlad laughed. Jezebel and James both looked at him shocked. "It's your job," He reminded Jezebel. She glowered then took the money. She took James's hand and pulled him out of his seat. "Hey," Aiden stopped them again, he gave her two more twenties, "Make it a good one." Then he winked at James, who looked terrified, then laughed.

Jezebel led him off into the crowds and into some small cubicles, she opened the door of one. Inside the walls were mirrors and there was a chair in the centre. Jezebel put James on it.

"You don't have to do this." James said as he sat down, he was so nervous. He didn't know whether he wanted this or not.

"Its my job, I have been paid." Is all she said, then she shut the door and locked it. That was that, he wasn't getting out of this, he didn't know if he wanted to. There was a little boom box in the corner, Jezebel walked over and turned it on, then she approached him. She started to dance in front of him, so close to him. His hand reached forward to touch against his will, but he managed to pull it back before it did, he knew it would be wrong to do so. This was torture, he needed her. He needed to touch her. Then she spun round so she was facing him again. Her hands placed gently on his shoulder, he was taken off-guard and jumped slightly. She kicked her left leg out and placed it on the floor just at the side of the chair, she then did the same with the other leg. She was now straddling him on the chair, now this really was torture, having her right there, looking so good and he couldn't do much about it. Their gazes met and whatever she was going to do died away. Suddenly, her lips were moving on his, he kissed her back, his arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her closer with need. Her arms went around his neck and her fingers tangled in his hair. The kiss becoming more urgent by the second. His hands moved around her body, exploring. They then grasped her thighs and pulled her the closest to him she could be, she gasped then kissed him harder.

The song ended. Jezebel pulled away and stood up; very aware someone had just knocked at the door.

"I'm – I'm sorry." She said, and then left quickly, leaving James, dazed and confused, to wander back to his friends.

**Chapter 10**

"I've had it with them constantly keeping secrets." Nicole moaned through the phone.

"Yeah." Jezebel agreed.

"I mean, he could've told me they were going to a strip club. I wouldn't have cared, but I'm pissed off that he kept it a secret." She continued. "It was lucky you were near there and caught them."

There was silence for a moment.

"I know what we should do!" Nicole exclaimed excitedly.

"What?"

"Girls Night!"

"I think you've had too much to drink." Ophelia commented as Jezebel and Nicole burst into another fit of laughter.

"Lighten up," Chalice said, patting her sister on the shoulder as she went to get a refill.

Living dead girl by Rob zombie was the song playing in the background, set to repeat, as it was the girls' favourite song. Jezebel swayed to the music in a drunken manner, which made Nicole laugh even more.

"Do you want another drink, Lia?" Chalice asked from the kitchen.

"No thank you," Ophelia shouted back, then mumbled, "I want my dignity intact."

Chalice returned and set her drink down on the table; she dragged Jezebel and Nicole to their feet and started to dance. Jezebel started to dance too; she cranked the music up full. Nicole's living room was then totally bathed in the music.

"I am…so drunk." Jezebel said to her friend.

"I've noticed," Nicole laughed. "I am too."

"I'm not, because I'm pregnant." Chalice said, but she lost her balance and took a moment to steady herself. This making Nicole and Jezebel laugh again.

"Door." Ophelia said, but her sisters and Nicole were oblivious to her. "I'll get it myself." She muttered. She felt her way along the walls and finally reached the door at the end of the hall, she jumped as another loud knock bellowed through the hallway. Since becoming blind, her other senses had heightened to make up for it. She opened the door.

"Yes? Who is it?" She asked, knowing her eyes were looking ahead but not seeing anything.

"Yes, I'm here about a complaint about noise from your neighbours."

"Who is it?" Ophelia heard Chalice come into the hallway behind her. _Oh no_, Ophelia thought totally ashamed.

"Ooo. A police man." Chalice said, Ophelia felt Chalice push past her.

"Turn the music down please, ladies." The officer said. He was a young one, very attractive looking. Jezebel watched with distant amusement as he was dragged into the room, looking confused, by Chalice.

"Chill." Chalice said and handed him one of the very strong shots. The ones that got you drunk with just two.

Jezebel did as requested and turned the music down slightly. The girls then piled onto the couch next to the officer, slightly desperate for attention. He looked stunned, as if he'd never expected this in a million years. Chalice stole his hat and put it on, smiling at him provocatively. He downed the shot in one, then coughed as it was stronger than he expected. Ophelia wandered past the door saying "Going to sit in the dining room." She wanted no part of this.

"We've all been very bad girls," Chalice said, handing him another shot.

"Yeah, maybe you should arrest us." Nicole put in.

"Handcuff us." Jezebel smiled.

The officer looked at them again, his eye colour so dark it was almost black. His hair was long and blonde and had fallen over his face as Chalice had taken his hat.

"You're not scared of me?" He asked, grimacing as he took the next shot.

"Oh, we're shaking in our boots." Nicole leaned toward him, smiling.

"Do you realise who I am?" He asked, taking three more shots.

"I know who you are." Chalice said, grabbing his tie and pulling him closer.

He stared at her, almost scared for a moment, then relaxed as she said, "You are one, god damn sexy police man."

"Won't you stay for a bit?" Nicole practically begged.

"I really should go back – " He mumbled trying to stand up, the alcohol was kicking in, and fast. He was losing focus of everything, which was good for the girls. He could stay now.

"We insist." Jezebel said, running a delicate finger down his arm.

"Well…I …Ok." Alcohol had officially taken over.

After all of them dancing and laughs and jokes they finally all collapsed back on the couch. "You know, I came here for a reason. But I can't really remember….what the hell it was." The officer laughed. So did Chalice and Jezebel.

"Can't have been important then." Nicole took his hand, "Mind helping me in the kitchen a minute?" She tugged his hand slightly as she got up. He followed her. Nicole looked back and smirked at her, now scowling, friends.

"I'm going to go get my phone from my bag upstairs. See if James has called me." Jezebel said and left to go get her phone.

"Well…that was interesting." Aiden said, looking slightly green.

"Saw is amazing." Vlad commented, "Not our fault you got a weak stomach."

"Shut up." Aiden grimaced, "I just, don't like that shit."

"You're a werewolf, man up. You rip people apart all the time."

"I've only ever killed one person and I don't even remember it that well. I eat animals."

James was staring at his phone, he'd tried to call Jezebel twelve times now and she hadn't answered at all. He wanted to know what time she'd be home. He needed her, he needed to hold her.

"Stop worrying." Vlad said. Obviously reading him mind.

"I can't help it. What if something happens?" James looked away, knowing he sounded like a whining child.

"It's a girls night." Aiden said, taking another drink of his beer. "So nail painting, hair washing, soppy films." He shuddered, "Nothing can go wrong. Stop worrying."

"Casper's out there though." James said.

Vlad and Aiden were silent, probably in thought.

"He hasn't bothered them since the hospital." Aiden said, "He's probably given up."

"What if he hasn't?" James whined again.

"They'd call us if there was anything wrong. Vlad would be able to sense if Ophelia was in trouble anyway." Aiden said very animatedly, spilling beer down his front in the process, "Stop worrying," he said, wiping at his shirt.

James sat back again, putting his phone back in his pocket and tried to watch the film without thinking of Jezebel.

Jezebel sat on Nicole and Aiden's bed, bag on her lap, trying to find her new phone. She couldn't have lost this one too. She finally found it buried at the bottom, hidden under tissues and her purse. She slid it open and looked at the screen. Twelve missed calls, all from James. She should call him while she's alone, she dialled the number and put it to her ear.

The officer wandered past the room, then doubled back as he saw her and came in.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked.

"Calling my housemate." She said, not really willing to call him her boyfriend yet as she wasn't completely sure he liked her that much. She tried to press the end call button but her drunken state was too much and she just slammed it down on the table, knowing that it would hang up then.

"Oh," was all the officer said. "Is there somewhere I can dry my shirt?" He said, remembering why he had gone up there. "Nicole spilt her drink down me." Sure enough there was a big wet mark running down the left hand side of him.

"Um," Jezebel said, looking around the room. Her high alcohol in take making her totally useless. "Oh, there's a radiator there." Jezebel said, pointing to it.

The officer then proceeded to remove his shirt and place it on the radiator. Gosh he looked sexy with it off. He was strong and pale. Jezebel vaguely recognized him but she put it down to the alcohol playing tricks on her. She stared for a moment and then turned her back on him to go get her phone. Suddenly there were arms around her waist, pulling her close to a cool, hard body.

"Um. What are you doing?" She asked, taken aback by this behaviour.

"I want you." He whispered near her ear, his hot breath blowing against her neck.

She stared at the wall in front of her for a moment, totally unsure of what to say.

Then he kissed her neck and it sent a jolt through her body, she was suddenly more awake than ever.

"No, I can't. I have to call James." She tried to pull away, but he spun her round and kissed her hard. His hands working at the zip on her dress, he undid it and pulled it over her head.

"I can't do this." She said, pulling away. Breaking free this time and moving away. The officer turned away, doing something with his face. It looked like he was crying. Suddenly, despite her half nakedness she felt the need to comfort him. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"I'm sorry, I – " She paused as she watch him straighten up and place something on the set of drawers next to him. It was something small, she couldn't even see it. He suddenly whirled on her. His eyes catching hers and the glowing purple suddenly made everything seem alright. His lips were on hers again. Her phone was forgotten and she was completely under his drunken power. He pushed her backwards onto the bed and crawled on top of her, kissing all the way up her stomach to her lips. For a drunken guy he wasn't too bad at this. Usually drunk guys were a big slobbering mess, when they tried to kiss you, but he was fine, his balance was a little off and he didn't seem to be thinking straight but that didn't cut down on his performance. He reached behind her, undid her bra then removed it, his hands quickly replacing it. Jezebel gasped. His kisses moved to her neck, she felt his fangs against her skin as he kissed her.

"Jezebel." Nicole shouted from downstairs. Casper looked up, distracted, long enough for Jezebel to snap out of it.

"Get off of me," She hissed, not wanting to scream. She pushed at him but had no chance of moving him.

He looked back at her, some of the drunkenness wearing off. His purple eyes focussed on her for what seemed like the first time. He looked down at her exposed flesh then back up to her face and smirked. He bared his fangs.

Jezebel panicked, she wanted to be rescued she didn't want to die. "Help!" She shouted, this time wanting someone to hear her. Casper moved his head closer to her neck and whispered in her ear, "You're mine this time."

"James!" She shouted helplessly. There was a bark from downstairs. Casper didn't have time to react before a huge grey wolf leapt, knocking him clean off of her. The wolf then stood protectively over her. Casper hit the wall and collapsed on the floor. He was quick to recover and was on his feet in milliseconds. Another wolf came streaking into the room, a black one. Casper dived through the window, shattering glass everywhere and landed on his feet like a cat outside and set off running. The black wolf didn't even stop, it leapt through the hold in the glass Casper had made and chased after him. The grey wolf changed form and there sat James, staring at her. She covered her exposed breasts with her arms, he realised he'd been staring there and looked up into her eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Jezebel, still drunk, but now very embarrassed, nodded. Too ashamed to speak. James must think she's a slut now. He definitely wouldn't want to be with her after this, god why did she have to be so stupid. She felt tears well up in her eyes. _No, I am not going to cry!_ She told herself harshly, but she was too drunk to be able to control herself and she started crying. James pulled her into a sitting position and pulled her close to his chest and hugged her while stroking her hair.

"Hey, it's ok. Everything's ok." He comforted her. She wrapped her arms around him, not caring anymore that she was topless. "I won't let him hurt you." He promised her.

Downstairs, Jezebel and James sat on the couch. Jezebel now fully dressed again. Vlad was sat holding Ophelia protectively in his arms. Chalice was sat holding her stomach and Nicole was pacing by the window. The French doors that led out into the back garden slid open. Everyone turned to look, Jezebel's heart in her mouth. The light went on and Aiden stood there, battered and bruised. His eye was swollen, there was a cut across his face, his nose and mouth were bleeding, his shirt was torn and underneath there was blood. He limped forward a few steps; James was instantly at his side, supporting him.

"What the hell happened to you?" Vlad asked, moving to Aiden's other side and helping James take him to the living room and sit him down in an armchair.

"He – got away." Aiden seemed distant and he seemed to be struggling to catch his breath.

"Holy shit!" Nicole cried, covering her eyes.

James and Vlad looked down to where Nicole had been looking, both moved backward quickly. There was an iron fence post sticking out form the left side of Aiden's stomach. Jezebel stood up and put her arm around Nicole.

"I'm gonna kill that sick bastard." James muttered.

"We have to remove it." Vlad said.

"No!" Aiden seemed more awake now.

"It has to come out Aiden."

"No, please."

"James, hold him down." Vlad watched Aiden's eyes widened as James went round the back of the chair and grabbed Aiden's arms, pinning him down to it.

"Vlad, please mate. Please." Aiden was begging now.

"On three." Vlad said.

"No!" Aiden cried, thrashing to get out of James's hold but was too weak from blood loss.

"One."

"Don't you dare, Tamzaran." Aiden's eyes looked murderous.

"Two."

"No!" Aiden tried to thrash again.

"Three!" Vlad took hold of the fence post and yanked out of Aiden's flesh. Aiden cried out in pain. James held him down to the chair until he'd got control of himself.

"Now the wound will heal up." Vlad said and took the fence post outside to dispose of it.

Aiden glowered at James.

"What?" James looked shocked.

"I really hate you sometimes. You listen to a leach over your own brother wolf." Aiden looked disgusted.

"It had to come out Aiden." James sighed.

"Whatever." Aiden stood up. James had to grab his arm as he nearly doubled over in pain again.

Nicole ran to him, pulling away from Jezebel.

She held him tight and he wrapped his arms around his in a painful but loving embrace.

"I thought I was going to lose you." She sobbed.

"Babe." He said, cupping her chin with his finger and tilting it up so she was looking into his eyes, "You keep forgetting. I'm superman." He did his classic Aiden smile.

Which in turn made Nicole smile, then he leant his head down and kissed her. Jezebel looked away as did everyone else, it was a private moment.

"Shall we go home?" James asked from the side of her. Jezebel nodded.

_Just do it_, she told herself; _you owe it to him_. Her eyes kept flitting to James who was watching television. She needed to apologize. They were close enough to be classed as together and she's been stupid and kissed another guy. This other guy who just happened to be the enemy who was trying to kill her. She just couldn't find the words.

At least if she apologized she wouldn't feel as guilty about it and he maybe wouldn't hate her as much.

"James." She said, finding courage, but it melted away as his amber eyes met hers. She wasn't sure what emotion she saw there but she was sure it wasn't love. "Never mind." She looked ashamedly at the floor and felt a tear leave her eye.

"What is it?" James asked, shuffling closer to her.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." She replied, turning to face the wall and using that time to wipe away the tear.

He gently turned her head so she was facing him again. "It does to me." He said softly.

Might as well do it now, she thought. "I just wanted apologize."

"What for?" He frowned.

"Casper, everything that happened yesterday, I'm just – I'm really sorry. I know it hurt you and I never wanted to hurt you, I was just drunk and stupid and I just wanted you to know that I loved you and I understand if you hate me now. I swear, I would never have done anything like that – " At some point through the apology she had started crying again but hadn't really noticed.

James pulled her close and hugged her again, "You didn't hurt me and I could never hate you." The he pushed her back a bit so he could look into her eyes, "I love you, Jezebel. More than anything in the world. I was just a little ticked off that he could get that far with you and I couldn't. I was disliking myself for being a coward, I could never dislike you." He kissed her. His lips moved gently against hers. Jezebel was hesitant at first, not sure whether he was being truthful or just trying to make her feel better, but every brush of his lips brought reassurance. He loved her, he wanted her, and he couldn't live without her. She felt the same way about him, and right now she felt that if he let go of her she would crumble to dust. She needed him right now; she needed him forever. He was her everything and always would be.

She'd finally found true love; this was whom she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. She felt tears of happiness leave her eyes.

He broke the kiss, but kept a firm hold of her, "What's wrong?" He asked, taking her tears the wrong way.

"Nothing, I'm just so happy." She said, wiping her tears away, "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her cheek. Then kissed her fiercely on the lips. His hands rubbing slowly up and down her sides.

**Chapter 11**

Continuing to kiss Jezebel, James brought his hands around her front and slipped them up to push the black dressing gown she wore off her shoulders. Jezebel gave a murmur of protests when he forced her arms down to quickly slide the soft top off. For a moment, he feared the reaction might mean she was going to stop him, but when she shook the sleeves off her hands and quickly returned them to holding and touching him, he realized that the protest had been at the interference with what she was doing, not at his undressing her. James let his hands wander over her revealed flesh. He closed his eyes in pleasure at her warmth and softness, and at the way Jezebel moaned as he touched her. Her fingers knotted in his hair as she arched into his caress, but James didn't mind. _He_ was having this affect on her. _He_ was making her tremble and shudder and moan. He wanted to cause more of that. He trailed kisses down from her lips, down her neck all the way down to her chest. Each kiss leaving the skin tingling where his lips had been.

Jezebel moaned as James bent his head to her breast and took her nipple into his warm, wet mouth.

She wasn't sure if she could handle it. She'd thought his kisses overwhelming at first, but this was – this was a sort of torture, a pleasure pain.

Her fingers, already tangled in his hair, curled claw-like and dragged at him. A moan of pleading slipped from Jezebel's lips as she tugged until James finally got the message and released her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern in his voice.

Jezebel stared at him helplessly, she was as much as a beginner as him. Yet he seemed to know what to do, where as she had no clue. She wanted to stop him, to ask him to take it slow but she knew she couldn't do that, simply because she didn't want that. She wanted him to keep going, to do what he was doing.

"I – I'm new to this – " She said helplessly, "I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm kinda scared." She admitted, feeling like a fool.

"Shh." Expression softening, he drew her into his arms, his hands caressing her back in soothing motions, "There's nothing to be scared of. I won't hurt you. I won't do anything you don't want me to."

Jezebel pulled back at his words, her eyes wide. "No. I know. That's not what – I want to please you, too." She blurted.

Surprise entered James's eyes, He took her face in his hands and simple stared at her long and hard before saying solemnly, "Jezebel, you please me all the time. Just by being you."

"But – "

He covered her mouth with one finger and shook his head. "Let me please you this time. I want you to just enjoy it and do what feels right. Do what you _want_ to do."

"But I want – " She tried to say around his finger but he shook his head again.

"You're always trying to please others. Let me please you for a change. I want to."

Jezebel wasn't all that certain that she could stand much more of his pleasing, but she didn't argue the point. When James returned to kissing her, she forced herself to relax and simply feel the softness of his lips moving over hers, the taste of him on her tongue and the pleasure it all brought.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Jezebel stirred lazily, her eyes fluttering open. She lifted her head to peer at James. She had barely been aware that he had moved them both so that their positions were changed. He now lay on his back on the couch, with her splayed on his chest, limp as a rag doll.

"Yes. Thank you." She said, her voice a husky rasp.

James smiled and lifted a hand to brush to hair from her face. "I wasn't too rough for you, was I?"

Jezebel shook her head, a blush beginning to appear on his soft, pale cheeks. It was rather dismaying to talk about what they had just done. Which was silly, she supposed. They had just performed the most intimate act known to man, and she found it embarrassing to talk about?

James lifted his head slightly and pressed a kiss to her lips, then drew her head down on his chest and continued to simply hold her.

"Perhaps we should get dressed?" James commented lazily.

"Perhaps." She agreed. But there was no question about it, as soon as he'd said it there was a knock at the door. _Typical_, Jezebel thought. She couldn't enjoy anything this good for long, something always had to get in the way.

Jezebel moved, her body feeling heavy after the immense pleasure she had just felt. She picked up her dressing gown and put it on. Taking a moment to sort out her hair in the mirror above the fireplace before going to the door.

"Oh. Hi Nicole." She said answering the door. "Hey Aiden."

"Hey." Nicole said, Aiden just smiled and nodded his greeting. Aiden had a crutch on his left side.

"Still healing?" Jezebel asked, amazed.

"Yeah, taking a little longer than I intended." Aiden said with a shrug. In his other hand he held a large pile of letters. He noticed her gaze and went in to the explanation. "Yeah, Jez, you kinda need to check your mail box every now and again, girl."

He handed her the letters and she stood back to allow the couple to go into her house. She hoped to god James had bothered to get dressed. She cringed waiting for something to happen as she closed the door but nothing did.

She wandered back into the living room, thankfully, James had got dressed and unless sorted out the couch so there no evidence anything had ever happened. He smiled warmly at Jezebel as she wandered in and sat down next to him, his arm was instantly around her shoulders and she snuggled close to him. She glanced up at Nicole and Aiden who were smirking.

"What?" Jezebel said, slightly annoyed and embarrassed.

"Finally together? Officially?" Aiden asked, directing the question at both of them.

"Yeah, I couldn't live without her." James answered, which was really sweet.

"And I couldn't live without him." Jezebel commented, which gave her the reward of a fond kiss on the head by James.

"Aww that is so sweet." Nicole said, with an awe struck look on her face, then she turned to Aiden. "How come you never say anything like that to me?"

Aiden's eyes widened and he searched for the right words.

"Um…because…you should already know that?" It was apparently the wrong thing to say, because Nicole pouted and looked away from him in a sulk. Aiden grimaced.

Jezebel giggled and proceeded to open her mail in date order. She sorted out the bills and other letters…strangely she had a pile of letter with just a date on, no address of anything else.

She opened them last.

'_You're never alone'_

'_I'm always watching you'_

'_You think you're safe now…but you're wrong'_

'_I'm dragging this out for more fun'_

'_If I wanted you dead, I would have done it the first time…this is more fun'_

'Keep you guessing'

'_Your blood, so sweet, so rich, so pure. Is mine."_

'_Your life is mine'_

'You belong to me, Jezebel'

Jezebel stared at the letters for a long time, her face blank of any emotion. The most recent letter was sent yesterday.

"What's wrong?" James asked leaning over her shoulder and looking at the letters. It only took him a moment to react. "Aiden, I think you better come and look at this."

Aiden hobbled over and took the letters from Jezebel's hands, skimming through them. "He's such an ass." Aiden muttered and handed the letters to Nicole's outstretched hands so she could have a look too.

"These are horrible." Nicole commented as she packed them together and placed them on the table.

"Jezebel, we won't let him hurt you." James said, holding her closer to him. "Ever."

"He's right." Aiden said, sitting himself on the other side of Jezebel and putting an arm around her, "We'll never let him near you." Aiden rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "How many times has he failed now?" She didn't answer. "Jezebel, he doesn't have it in him to kill you, we're too quick for him."

"But on this one it says, '_If I wanted you dead, I would have done it the first time…this is more fun,' _so doesn't that mean that, he's just toying with us?" Nicole put in.

Jezebel nodded in agreement.

"Not helping, Nick." Aiden said through his teeth.

"Well she needs to hear the truth." Nicole snapped back, "You know, if I – " Nicole was cut off as her phone started ringing. "One minute," She hissed at Aiden then answered. "Hello?"

All Jezebel heard was a frantic voice on the other side of the phone. Aiden and James's ears were well tuned and could hear what was being said, and by the looks on their faces it wasn't good.

"Ok, ok, Chalice. Calm down." Nicole said, "What exactly happened?"

The voice was even more frantic now, "Yes – yes – you told me that part, but what did you _see_?"

The frantic voice continued.

"Ok, calm down, we'll be there in a minute." The she hung up. "Come on Aiden."

Then without a goodbye, both of them were gone.

"What's happening?" Jezebel turned to James. He was still staring that the chair in which Nicole had been sat in. "James!" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. He shook his head, snapping out of it.

"Ophelia and Vlad are missing, Chalice was at their house. The door was open and the house was dead quiet, no one was home. She said she saw blood on the floor and ran." James said, expressionless.

"Oh my god." Jezebel breathed. "You don't think – " Jezebel shook her head and let it drop into her hands. James's comforting arms were quickly around her, "I'm sure she's alright."

The next day Jezebel called Nicole's phone only to get the answering machine. The same happened with Aiden's phone.

"I'm sure they're fine." James said, passing her a plate of the delicious dinner he had made. She thanked him and ate it, not really tasting it. She was worrying too much to feel anything at the moment.

"I suppose I better go down and give blood today." Jezebel said, lost in thought of the letters. James almost choked on his food.

"What do you mean?" He said, still partly choking.

"One of the letters, humans are expected to make a compulsory blood donation for the vampire's sake." She explained, staring blankly at her now empty plate.

"No. That's _so_ not happening." He commented.

"Why not?"

"You are mine, Jezebel." He said, "I hate vampires. You're blood stays in your body."

"There are no fangs involved, just a needle." Jezebel said, looking at him now, there was concern in his eyes and some sort of hatred, related to the vampires.

James shuddered at the mention of fangs. "A needle is bad enough, they aren't going near you with a needle and if any vamp tries to fang you, I'll rip their head off."

Jezebel smiled at his protectiveness, it was very nice to be so cared about.

"Anyway," James said, "I'm taking you out tonight."

Jezebel glanced at him, surprised. Very sudden but very sweet.

"Ok." She smiled. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." He smiled.

Jezebel sat in the car, nervous as hell. She hoped they weren't going to a restaurant or something. She didn't like them. She also hoped they weren't going dancing or to a club, she didn't like places like that either.

_Chill_, she told herself, _you're with James, and everything will be fine_. They'd been driving for a while now and Jezebel was getting quite impatient. They turned off the road and drove straight onto a field, there was nothing for miles around. James parked up the car and got out, instantly at her door to hold it open as she got out. He was dressed in formal wear as was she. "Where are we?" She asked, looking around there was trees just ahead of them, a woods. James took her hand and led her towards it. She felt a mixture of apprehension and excitement. The air of mystery making the excitement tower above the apprehension.

James put his hands over her eyes and walked behind her. Guiding her.

"Almost there." He said, she could hear the smile in his voice. "Ta da." He said releasing her eyes.

She gawped at the scene before her. They were standing on an open grassy area in front of the trees. There was a small expanse of lake in front of them and little flower candles floating on the water. There was a small picnic set up on the grass by the lake edge.

"Oh my god, James." She almost cried, "This is amazing." She turned on him and flung herself on him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"I thought you might like it." He said smugly.

They sat and ate, and talked and laughed. They were so in love it was unbelievable and Jezebel had never felt this strongly about anyone before. They stood by the lake, James trying to teach Jezebel how to skim stones but it wasn't working. Eventually it just ended with them both stood facing the lake, him stood behind her, his arms around her.

He turned her to face him. "Jezebel, I know we haven't been officially together long, but the whole time we were together, you've made me feel like the happiest man alive and I am so in love with you, it's hard to find words to describe." He said it to sweetly, she almost started crying.

"I love you too. I could never be with anyone else, my life is with you." She responded, brushing a hand against his cheek. He sighed and smiled as she did so, then he stepped back slightly.

"Jezebel, I know it seems a bit sudden, but I am one hundred percent sure on this decision." He got down on one knee.

_Oh my god, this can't be happening_, she thought, but it was. She would never have thought it, she had never even considered marriage and now the man of her dreams was asking her to marry him. She knew her answer before he'd even asked. This is what she wanted.

He took out a small fabric covered box and opened it. Inside was a gorgeous gothic engagement ring, this type she'd only have dreamed of.

"Jezebel Fate Kandyll, will you do me the honour, of becoming my wife?" He asked.

"Of course I will!" She did cry this time, he took the ring out of the box and slid it on to her finger. As soon as he got to his feet her arms were around his neck and she was kissing him passionately.

"Aiden you'll never guess what, mate!" James exclaimed excitedly, while Jezebel was having a long shower after making love to him multiple times that day. He was tired yet very, very awake and happy. If that was even possible.

_She's mine, I finally got the girl I wanted_, was all he could think.

"Me and Jezebel are engaged!"

"That's great mate, congratz." Aiden said he sounded genuinely happy for them, but there was something nagging at the side of the happiness, something James couldn't quite place.

"Are you alright?" James asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Aiden said, he really didn't sound it.

"Why weren't you and Nicole answering your phones the other day?" He asked.

"Oh we were messing about and forgot all about them. Sorry about that."

"Right. Well, seriously dude, whats up?"

"Oh nothing I – " Aiden made a choking sound and James started to panic, "I mean, well it's kinda personal, would you mind coming round. Don't bring Jezebel, it's kind of a guy thing."

"I can't leave her on her own, not with a psychopath out there."

"James, she'll be fine for a few minutes. Please come round." Aiden was begging now.

"Ok. I'll be there as soon as I can." Aiden hung up the phone as soon as James had finished talking.

"Whats up?" Jezebel asked from the doorway. James jumped and spun round, he hadn't been aware of the shower going off. She stood in the doorway, wearing only a towel wrapped around her body. Her hair was dripping onto her delicious, pale skin. James had to restrain himself from ravaging her right there.

"Aiden. He needs me. I don't know why, it sounded like there was something wrong." James explained.

"Oh, well you better get round there." She said, walking over and hugging him. He inhaled her magnificent scent.

"Will you be ok while I'm gone?" He asked, concern now strong in his voice.

"I'll be fine, you be careful." She said and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Lock the doors and windows until I get back and open the door to no one but me." He told her, then left using his supernatural speed.

She sighed, locked the door and went to dry her hair. She heard a knock at the door, mid way through. James couldn't be back already. There was another knock, this one more frantic. She switched off the hair dryer, pulled on her jeans and a strap top and ran to the door. Another frantic braying echoed through the house. She looked out the window, two piercing silver eyes met hers they looked terrified.

"Oh god, Ash!" She unlocked the door and flung it open, Ash dove in and locked the door behind him after snatching the key out of her hand. Then he turned and hugged her hard.

"Thank you, Jezebel. Thank you." He said, then pretty much collapsed on her. She managed to drag his unconscious body into the living room and lay him down on the couch. She got a washcloth, dampened it and then rubbed gently at his forehead. His body was getting so warm she could barely touch it. All of a sudden his eyes flew open and his temperature cooled right down.

"What the hell is happening to you?" She asked, moving away, slightly afraid.

"_Get out of my head_!" He screamed. "_Get out_! _Get out_! _Get out_!"

Jezebel stared at him, as he sat bolt up right, his hands pressed hard against either side of his head. "_Get out_!" He screamed again.

Jezebel couldn't take it anymore, she got to her feet and ran over, grabbing his hands and trying to get him to listen to her, "Ash! Ash, what is wrong? Ash, talk to me!"

His silver eyes met hers, his breathing was ragged. Suddenly everything went deadly silent and Ash's hands dropped from his head as he stared at her.

"Are – are you ok?" She asked, a little on edge.

"Yes, sorry about that." He said, his cool, calm voice returning.

"Whats was that about?" She sighed, relieved that he was ok now.

"Time in a mental hospital does things to you." He explained and that was all that needed saying.

"How did you get out?" She asked.

"Same way my brother did. Demons cannot be held back by petty bars. We are an uncontrollable force."

"Then I'm glad we have one of you on our side." She laughed nervously.

He laughed too, "Yeah, that's good."

"So, what brings you here?" She asked, feeling this wasn't an accidental drop in.

"Oh yes." His face went deadly serious, "My brother is coming for you Jezebel. I have to get you out of here." He grabbed her hand and ran to the door with her, unlocking it on the way out. Luna who was sat in the kitchen meowed and then hissed fiercely but they were already out the door. There was a sharp pain in Jezebel's head then suddenly her world turned to black.

**Chapter 12**

"What's happening?" Someone wailed, it sounded like Nicole.

"I don't know." Someone else answered, that sounded like Aiden.

Jezebel's eyes were closed and her head was pounding. She opened her eyes, but still saw darkness. _Oh crap I'm blind_, was her first thought. She couldn't be blind – she just couldn't, there was still so much she wanted to see.

"Hello?" Someone shouted. That sounded like James.

"James!" Jezebel tried to shout, but no sound came out. She tried to stand up but a tugging on her wrists stopped her, the furthest she could get was a half standing, half slouching position, which was a killer on her back, so she decided to sit back down again. Man she hated being blind, now she knew how Ophelia felt.

"Vlad? Vlad?" Ophelia's tortured voice called out, it sounded strained.

"I'm here, don't panic, I'm here." His comforting voice floated through the air around them all.

Suddenly a bright light lit the whole room, the sudden brightness caused Jezebel's vision to go funny but then it returned. _Oh thank god I'm not blind_, was her first thought. Instead of panicking right now she decided to be sensible and survey her surroundings. She appeared to be in a warehouse of some sorts. Abandoned by the looks of it. She looked down, her wrists were shackled and big strong chains held her to the ground. Looking across the room, her heart sunk. A few meters away from her, chained in the same way she was, were her friends. Chalice, Ophelia, Vlad, Nicole, Aiden and James. They were all looking around as dazed and confused as she was.

Why was she separate from the others? They were chained together in one big long line and she was over here alone. James's eyes fell upon her.

"Jezebel!" He cried, trying to break free of his chains but failing.

"You know, you'll just waste your energy doing that." Ash said moving behind Jezebel and closer to James. "These chains and shackles are designed to hold back even the nastiest of beast. They're from Sacran." He sighed.

"Ash!" Jezebel said, able to speak now, "I thought you were a good guy! How could you do this to us?"

Ash's tortured expression met her gaze and suddenly everything clicked into place. Ash was weaker than his brother, he'd been under his brother's power at her house, he had no choice but to obey.

Suddenly Ash let out a cry and dropped to his knees, holding his head.

Casper dropped down in front of Ash. He must have been hiding up in the rafters. "That's enough talking brother." He said so flatly it was rather scary. Ash let out a little whimper. Casper then turned on Jezebel; she stared for a moment into his manic purple eyes and then dropped her gaze to the floor. "You know, it's a little disappointing." Suddenly he was in front of her, lifting her chin up so she looked in him the eyes again. "You never replied to my letters."

Jezebel glared at him but couldn't hold the expression, his eyes were burning into hers, scorching her very soul, crushing her will.

"Leave her alone!" James shouted from behind Casper.

"Yeah!" Aiden agreed backing up his friend, "You're so weak that you have to pick on girls? Pathetic."

"Aiden, shut up." Nicole hissed.

"Yes Aiden. Shut up." Casper agreed, "I have no reason to harm any of you, I just decided that this would be better with witnesses and now that you are here you cannot try stop me again." Casper then turned back to Jezebel and ran a hand down her cheek, almost a lovingly caress if it hadn't have been for the pure hatred in his eyes.

"Don't touch her!" James shouted again, this time he pulled hard on his chains, trying to break free of them.

Casper sighed, "There's no point in that, they are designed to hold down creatures like you." He said without turning.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size? Someone like me!" James shouted again, ragging at his chains.

Casper was then gone from in front of Jezebel and then in front of James. He grabbed his throat and lifted him off the ground as far as the chains would allow. "You know, I'm getting a little tired of this attitude."

"No! No, please!" Jezebel screamed, "Casper! Please, no!"

Casper, startled, looked at her. The distress in her voice was what had caught his attention, he looked back and forth between her and James and then a nasty smile of knowing came to his face. "Well, well, well." He laughed, "Love birds. Cute." He dropped James and went back over to Jezebel. "The witch and the werewolf. Classic, but not forbidden." Jezebel stared at him, puzzled. "Well you werewolf, turns out I can punish you, without going off track." Casper laughed again. "That attitude of yours just earned little miss bell a world of hurt."

"No!" James screamed.

Jezebel didn't see it coming; she felt unimaginable pain in her left cheek and her head hit the floor with a bone-splintering crack. She could hear her friends shouting in the distance somewhere but a white haze had descended over her vision and the pain was almost unbearable. Casper slammed his boot down in her wrist, shattering the bones. Jezebel screamed, strong sobs catching in her throat.

Casper then grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into a sitting position.

"Now, werewolf, you can watch your girlfriend die." Casper moved behind Jezebel, they were facing her friends. Jezebel was aware that James was shouting something, others were joining in, but there was too much pain in her head to focus on anything.

There was a sudden sharp pain in her neck and Jezebel let out another scream.

James watched helplessly as Casper's fangs plunged mercilessly into Jezebel's soft throat. It was killing him just to watch. He was pleading with Casper to take his life instead of hers. The others around him were shouting, the girls were crying and he was now sat just watching. He'd failed her; he couldn't protect her.

_Don't think like that, there's nothing you can do_, Vlad's voice came into his mind, _this is in no way your fault, be strong for her James_.

_Will you keep out of my head, parasite_, James snapped back, but he knew Vlad was right. There was nothing he could do. _Help me, Vlad_. James pleaded.

_How? I cannot help myself_. Vlad replied.

_How is she?_ James asked, knowing the answer, dreading it even but he had to hear it.

_She's dying, James_. Vlad replied after hesitation.

Can we help her? James asked, still pleading.

_No, James. There is nothing we can do, I'm sorry_. Vlad made it clear in that sentence that he couldn't bear to talk about it anymore.

James's attention was drawn back to Jezebel as Casper let her go and she fell to the floor limply. What the hell was he doing? James could still hear a faint heartbeat. Jezebel was still alive, barely.

Casper used his fangs to cut his own wrist open and then let the blood run into Jezebel's mouth, forcing her to swallow it or drown in it. She swallowed it reluctantly. As soon as she'd taken the first three gulps she screamed and pushed Casper away, clutching her throat, the other hand clutching her stomach.

"You bastard!" Aiden yelled, chorused by Vlad's, "You sick fuck!"

James didn't understand what was happening; luckily Vlad caught on to this and explained.

_He's turning her into a vampire, but his blood is also demon blood, which could well kill her. If she does turn, you and her cannot be together. It is forbidden for the two different species to be together_. Vlad explained, James's heart sinking the whole time. They'd find a way round it; if she survived they'd find a way round it. He would make sure they did. All she had to do was survive. Casper smiled as he watched her writhe and scream on the ground in agony.

"I'll let her pick her first meal if she survives." Casper laughed, looking at them now. "I will be back shortly" Then he simply disappeared.

The six of them sat in silence for a bit, watching their friend die screaming.

"Aiden." Vlad said, turning to the wolf next to him, "can you morph?"

"No the chain won't allow me." Aiden replied.

"Can you reach the chain on my left hand?" He then asked.

Aiden reached out, his fingertips touched the cold chain. The rest were watching in silence. Aiden managed to pull it toward him and get a good hold with his fingers.

"Pull!" Vlad shouted. Both of them pulled on the chain. Then metal holding it to the floor groaned. Aiden stopped, panting. "Once more, It's nearly gone." Vlad encouraged him. "Pull!" They pulled and the metal on the floor gave and Vlad's left hand was then free, but still had a chain and shackle on it. They grabbed Aiden's right chain and managed to pull that out.

"James, take my hand." Ophelia said.

"What?" James asked startled.

"I am going to channel your strength into Vladimir so he may break free of the chains." She explained, James reluctantly took her hand and Ophelia managed to reach across and touch Vlad's knee. Vlad pulled on the chains. Again there was a groaning and the metal gave way. James was exhausted as Ophelia let go of his hand, his strength returning slowly.

Vlad and Aiden then got rid of his other binding. Then the wolf and vampire set to work releasing the rest of them.

Once all of them were released, they stood in a group.

"Where's the way out?" Chalice asked, looking around.

"There's got to be one somewhere." Vlad agreed.

"This is reinforced metal from Sacran." Aiden said, tapping the walls of the warehouse. There was no door or window to be seen. "I think we were meant to break out of the chains, he wasn't bothered about that, but we have no way out."

"What are we going to do?" Nicole wailed. Aiden took her into his arms and hugged her.

"Has anyone noticed that it has gone awfully quiet?" Ophelia commented. As a matter of fact none of them had noticed, not until Ophelia had mentioned it. He lack of sight meant she picked up other things about the environment that they didn't.

They swung round all at once, their eyes frantically searching, but Jezebel was nowhere to be seen. The chains that had held her down now lay in pieces on the floor as well as the shackles, bent out of shape.

"Crap." Aiden breathed. "Corner. Now." The group backed into the corner, their eyes fixed ahead of them, watching for any sign of movement, Ophelia was listening for any slight movement.

"Jezebel?" James called out.

Nicole slapped his arm, "Don't lead it to us." She hissed.

"_It_?" James was appalled, "She's still your friend you know."

"Well right now she's trying to kill us, so not much of a friend." Nicole hissed again.

"Shut up, both of you." Vlad commanded. He stepped away from the group.

"Vlad." Ophelia said urgently, as he moved away from her grip, it was almost pleading. He turned back to her for minute.

"I'll be fine." He whispered and made sure Chalice and her had hold of each other before moving away again. He walked into the centre of the room. The others watched him, terrified of what could happen.

"Jezebel?" He called out, in a friendly, if not slightly frightened, tone. "Jezebel, we won't hurt you, we're your friends. Why don't' you come out now."

A black blur whizzed past Vlad and was gone again. His eyes widened with increasing fear, "Shit." He breathed then carried on. "Come on Jezebel. We don't want to hurt you." A blur whizzed past again, this time it came back and knocked Vlad flying into one of the walls, where he fell, unconscious.

She'd just knocked out quite a strong vampire; god knows what else she could do. Ophelia, as if she could see what was happening, moved away from Chalice.

"Lia! Lia get back here!" Chalice whispered, trying to grab her sister but it was no good. Ophelia walked straight over to Vlad, and knelt by him, she reached out blindly and stroked his hair. Then she stood and turned to face the centre of the room, staring ahead of her, as if she was actually watching for something.

"You are my sister, but I will not allow you to hurt my friends." She said. The group moved over to Ophelia, carefully and cautiously, watching for any signs of movement. The blur sped towards them, Nicole and Chalice screamed. Ophelia's hands flew out in the direction of the blur, a ball of light shot from her fingertips and hit the thing dead on, sending it off course.

"Lia – that – was so cool!" Chalice commented.

The blur had collapsed over in the far corner, too injured to move. Aiden and James ran over. Jezebel lay there, still as the dead, her face pale. Vlad was coming round on the other side of the room. He flitted across once he was recovered enough.

"I have to try get through to her, get past the instincts, if we can get her to a hospital quick enough we might be able to turn her back." He said and grabbed her head in his hands and closed his eyes. Jezebel's eyes flew open, her beautiful blue was gone, now shone a clear purple.

"I'm so hungry," she whispered.

"She can feed from me." Chalice said, walking over to them, followed by the rest.

"Hurry then." Vlad said.

Jezebel opened her mouth in anticipation, James saw to his horror that as well as the eyes, she had fangs now too. She bit down in Chalice who winced and bit her lip to stop herself from screaming.

"That's enough." Vlad said and pulled Jezebel away. Jezebel licked her lips and stood up.

"I think I've found a weakness!" Aiden shouted from the other corner, he had moved because he couldn't bear to watch Jezebel feed. "There's a joint here, if we work we can tear it off."

Vlad and James joined him and the three boys pulled at the joint, it moved slightly but as soon as they stopped pulling it went back to where it was. They tried repeatedly but to no avail.

"There's no way out." Aiden said breathlessly, sliding down the wall and holding his head in his hands.

"Damn it!" Vlad smacked the metal with his fist, full vamp mode now, and it didn't even leave a dent.

Jezebel had been watching with mild interest. She moved past the boys, moving James away from the joint. The three boys watched in awe as she grabbed the metal and tore it away effortlessly. There was complete silence as the night air blew in around them.

"I coulda done that – " Aiden said, getting to his feet and clearing his throat. Jezebel just smiled and they got the hell out of there. Very aware of the situation that if Jezebel wasn't treated soon, she'd be doomed to be a vampire forever. Vlad knew she was more than a vampire, she was a demon vampire.

Ophelia, Chalice and Nicole sat on the chairs of the waiting room. Chalice sat calmly, but looking very pale, her hands holding her bump. Nicole was looking at the vending machine and counting the money she'd retrieved from her pocket and Ophelia, was simply staring blindly ahead. The boys were stood, Vlad was leaning against the wall, still as concrete. Aiden was watching James, tense ready to move if James decided to run. James was pacing, back and forth.

The waiting room was empty apart from them, around the corner and down the hall was the receptionist and there was only one of them working. They were alone, they could hear mumbling from rooms around them, but no one came into the waiting room.

"I can't take much more of this." James whispered, more to himself than any of them.

Aiden went and stood by him, stopping him pacing and put a hand on his shoulder, "James, mate, she'll be fine." He said, patting his shoulder lightly.

"You heard what the doctor said. There's one of three things that can happen, she can stay as a demon vampire and the treatment will be ineffective. She can die which means the treatment will have been administered too late to be effective. Or she can be a half vampire, meaning she's not as bad as the parasites, but is still part of their species." James sounded angry, but exhaustion and upset dampened the effect.

"_Parasite _friend stood right here, if you haven't noticed." Vlad commented from where he was stood, moving only slightly to talk and not taking his eyes off of the spot on the ground they were fixed on.

"Sorry, Vlad." James said.

A scream echoed along the corridors.

"That's Jezebel!" James shouted and took off down the corridor, well, he tried to. Vlad and Aiden grabbed either of his arms and dragged him backwards, pinning to the wall. "_Let go_! I need to see her!"

"We were warned that it would be painful for her. Sit down and wait." Aiden said and then sat him down on the chair, Vlad and Aiden sat on either side, so he had no escape.

Hours passed like days. Vlad was watching the window with a certain intensity that was quite scary. James twigged that he was watching for the first signs of the sun rising. He had a few more hours before he had to really worry about that yet.

An hour or so later a nurse walked out from the corridor and into the waiting room, "You can see her now." She said, smiling. James was the first on his feet, whizzing past the nurse and straight to Jezebel's room.

_Ow my head_, she thought, not wanting to open her eyes, _Ow my stomach, Ow everything_. She screwed her eyes up against the pain, they were still closed. She was in a lot of pain, every nerve ending on her body seemed to be on fire. Her stomach felt empty: very, very empty. Her teeth and gums ached in her mouth, her mouth dry was as dry as a bone. Her head was pounding, why was everything so loud? It hurt. There were so many weird smells confusing her, one smell standing out in particular, very strong.

Where was she?

What was happening?

She didn't remember much of anything. She remembered that she had been in a warehouse and Casper had been there, then nothing, her memory was just blank after that. _Maybe I'm dead_, she thought, panicked. _I didn't even get to say goodbye to James_. She felt tears well up in her eyes. That wasn't right, the dead couldn't cry, could they? Wait, the dead couldn't really be thinking like this could they?

Jezebel opened her eyes, dazzled by the brightness for a moment. Then everything appeared all too suddenly. She was in hospital again.

James was there next to her, staring down at her. She crinkled her nose, "James, no offence, but when was the last time you showered?" She said, her voice was hoarse because of her dry, sore throat.

"You don't smell too good yourself." He attempted a smile. She smiled back to try help cheer up but quickly regretted it when he recoiled startled. "I thought you said it had worked?" He shouted behind him to the nurse she hadn't noticed standing in the doorway.

She walked over still smiling to Jezebel's bedside placing her fingertips lightly on Jezebel's forehead.

"She is only half vampire,." She said. The nurse looked at her and scowled at her, "Those fangs shouldn't be that long." A sudden pain shot through Jezebel's skull, emanating from where the nurses fingers were. She screamed.

"What are you doing!" James was panicked, "Stop it! You're hurting her!"

She felt a pulling in her jaw, it was agony to have to go through.

Suddenly the nurse pulled away and it all stopped. "There, perfect length for a half vampire." She said, smiled sweetly and wandered away.

"I'm a vampire?" Jezebel whispered to James, her eyes filling with tears, she wasn't sure if it was from the pain from the nurse or if it was knowing that if she was she and James couldn't be together.

"You're a half vampire." He confirmed.

She cried. His arms went around her. "What's wrong?" Concern in his eyes as he asked.

"We can't be together now." She wailed, devastated by the news.

"Yes we can." He said firmly, pulling her chin up so she was looking into his eyes, "We are going to make this work, Jezebel. I only just got you, I'm not willing to give you up, ever." He said and then kissed her.

**_Additional Notes. _**

_Thought i might mention that the scene between Jezebel and James was taken from Tall Dark and Hungry by Lyndsay Sands. As i could not for the life in me write an intimate scene, apart from that, all the ideas are my own._

_After this book there is another sequel. Will take a while to write just as this one did. Hope you like it. Review please. x_


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